Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle

What is Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle

A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) or simply plug-in hybrid is a type of hybrid electric vehicle equipped with a rechargeable battery pack that can be directly replenished via a charging cable plugged into an external electric power source, in addition to charging internally by its on-board internal combustion engine-powered generator. If you want to know the specifications and prices of Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle, please contact us!

Types of Hybrid Electric Vehicle

Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV)

• While EVs are straightforward in the way they work, PHEVs are decidedly more complex, as they have a combustion engine alongside an electric motor and a battery.
• The advantage of a PHEV is the ability to drive using combustion power, effectively doing away with 'range-anxiety' which EVs are plagued with, while also offering a limited electric range for owners to benefit from cheaper, zero emissions commuting.
• The downside is that plug-in hybrid models are expensive as they need both sets of components, and they can be compromised when it comes to internal space or towing capacity due to the need for batteries and the extra weight that comes with them.
• To make the most of a plug-in hybrid, though, you need to charge it, which is where the 'plug-in' bit of plug-in hybrid comes from.
• Usually they have small batteries (under 20kWh) good for purely electric driving ranges of 100km or less, although longer range options are hitting the market as batteries become more affordable.
• You should also know that plug-in hybrids work in diverse ways, which will heavily impact the way they drive.
• Some plug-in hybrids use an electrified version of a regular transmission to drive one set of wheels. For example, the Kia Sorento PHEV which uses an electrified dual-clutch automatic to drive the front wheels only.

Range Extender hybrid Electric Vehicle (REX or REEV)

• Range extenders, most often referred to as REX vehicles, are generally a type of plug-in hybrid.
• Range extenders are purely electrically-driven vehicles which use a combustion engine as a generator.
• The combustion components have no mechanical attachment to the wheels to cut down on complexity, weight, and the size of the required engine.
• Range extenders typically have smaller batteries, as the engine as a generator instead makes up for their lack of purely electric driving range.

Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV)

• Fuel cell electric vehicles also drive the wheels exclusively via electric motors, but they trade the engine and large battery present in an EV or a PHEV for a hydrogen fuel cell.
• To add to the confusion, this EV type is known by a variety of different names - hydrogen fuel cell cars, hydrogen cars, fuel cell cars, but the way they work stays the same.
• The hydrogen fuel cell is a clever piece of science. It functions as a big honeycomb filter, known as the 'membrane' which is made of an alloy material which can easily carry an electrical current.
• Inside, air from the outside and hydrogen fuel is passed on either side of the membrane, and the difference in charge between them causes ions to cross and create an electric current.
• The current is then used to drive the electric motors. Regen braking is able to be stored in a small hybrid-sized battery, giving the car a means to be even more energy efficient. The only emission from the reaction is pure water, which drips out a tailpipe.
• The advantage of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles is that the fuel cell stack is roughly the same size and weight as a combustion engine, while the fuel itself is extremely weight efficient.
• For example, just 6.33kg of hydrogen is required in the Hyundai Nexo allowing a 666km driving range. Refuelling time is also similar to that of a combustion vehicle, right now.
• In other words, fuel cell electric technology is an ideal replacement for diesel, and is well suited to heavier vehicles which require large payloads and speedy refuelling times like trucks and buses.

Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEV)

• The most popular kind of electric vehicle is the humble hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) which is often also referred to as a self-charging hybrid or a plugless hybrid.
• The core principle is similar to a plug-in hybrid, with HEVs packing a combustion engine and at least one electric motor, but with a smaller battery and a heavier dependence on the engine to pick up the slack.
• As HEVs cannot be plugged in, the energy to power the EV drive components is generated either by the combustion engine's idle time, or via regenerative braking.
• Many hybrid electrics have engines which run an alternate combustion cycle known as the Atkinson cycle, which essentially improves efficiency at the cost of outright power.
• This means energy generated by the engine is always more fuel efficient, regardless of whether it is powering the wheels, or being stored in the battery.
• The car makes up for the lack of engine performance by boosting outputs temporarily with its electric motor.
• Hybrids are easy to use and can cut your fuel bill in half at a very small additional upfront cost compared to a combustion vehicle, but unlike PHEVs or EVs, they can never be truly zero-emissions vehicles.

Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicles (MHEV)

• In order to trim emissions in the environmentally strict European market and cash in on the wave of hybrid popularity, many manufacturers are turning to mild hybrid technology.
• This is abbreviated as MHEV, but many automakers will label these vehicles as 'hybrids' despite the fact the technology often has a modest impact on fuel consumption.
• In almost all cases, what separates a 'mild hybrid' from a 'hybrid electric vehicle' is the lack of any electric power going to the wheels.
• Mild hybrids are combustion vehicles with some form of higher-voltage electric system which is incapable of driving the wheels under its own power.