Hybrid cars are one of two types of car that use electric energy when driving. However, there are sufficiently significant differences between them and all-electric vehicles that they cannot be fully considered as alternatives. Moreover, there are several types of cars among the hybrids themselves. What are their characteristics and what are the differences between hybrids and electrics? Check!
Hybrid vs. electric car - what are the differences and what is their environmental impact?
The development of electromobility in recent years has led to several vehicle concepts with different propulsion systems. Among cars that use electricity to a greater or lesser extent, there are three types of vehicle: fully electric cars, hybrids and plug-in hybrids. How does a hybrid car differ from an electric car? It also uses an internal combustion engine.
The use of an internal combustion engine makes electric cars fully environmentally friendly, hybrids much less so. There are also important differences among hybrids. Some use an electric motor only to support the battery or internal combustion engine. Others, meanwhile, allow zero-emission driving to varying degrees. Zero-emission, however, is exclusively the domain of all-electric cars. 
How do electric and hybrid cars work?
The difference between an electric car and a hybrid comes down to more than just the mere fact of using liquid fuels or electricity. The way the electricity is drawn is also different. In the case of electric cars, it is the charging socket. The car is connected via a special plug to an electricity point or socket at home. The charging process itself resembles the replenishment of energy in electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets or laptops.
In hybrid cars, the combustion engine is the most important function. Electricity is recovered when slowing down or braking. Depending on the type of hybrid, the electricity is used to operate various components of the vehicle. Hybrids are divided into micro, mild, full and plug-in.
A micro hybrid is a vehicle equipped with an electric motor that charges the battery. It is when slowing down or braking that electric energy is recovered. A mild hybrid has an electric motor to assist the combustion engine when driving. Neither hybrid can be driven using only electricity.
The partial possibility of replacing the combustion engine with an electric drive is only made possible by the full hybrid solution. However, the zero-emission engine is not efficient enough to drive for long periods. It is only an optional solution for short journeys around town.
The hybrid electric vehicle that comes closest to an electric is a plug-in vehicle. Like a fully electric car, it has a charging socket. It can be used for further driving. The range of such a drive is usually several tens of kilometres. The advantages of plug-in hybrids are that they can save a lot of fuel. 
Hybrid vs electric car - which is worth investing in?
Hybrid and electric cars are based on technologies so different from each other that they are unlikely to be considered as alternatives. Choosing between one type of car and the other is rather closer to deciding between an electric car and a vehicle with an internal combustion engine.
Why is this the case? The description of hybrid types shows that most of them cannot be used for eco-driving. Micro and mild hybrid cars do not allow driving in this way at all, but at most charge the batteries and drive the crankshaft.
The other two types, on the other hand, are equipped with electric motors allowing emission-free driving only over short distances. Instead, these cars are an interesting alternative to fully combustion engine vehicles. A hybrid is cheaper to drive than a car with only a conventional engine.
When comparing hybrids and electric cars, only the latter have a range similar to combustion cars. Their running costs can also be significantly lower than petrol or diesel vehicles. However, this depends on where you live. The cheapest (but also the longest) way to charge such a car is at home.
Using a public charger is already quite a lot more expensive. The faster it prepares the vehicle for the journey ahead, the higher the cost of the service. Using a fast charger can be an expense no less than filling up with fuel. The charging station infrastructure is also an issue. It is still much more modest than the number of petrol stations.
Electric cars and hybrids have many advantages, but also limitations. Either type of drive is suitable for everyday use, but not for every driver. You have to choose between them depending on where you live and the distances you travel. However, there is no doubt that both types of car are worth recommending.
