Hybrid vs. Plug-In Hybrid Cars: What's the Difference?

Tired of high gas prices? Want a fuel-efficient vehicle in your Montrose garage or driveway? Why not reduce your dependence on gasoline with a new hybrid vehicle from Flower Motor Company?

Have you driven past our lot lately? We’ve got a lot of new hybrid vehicles waiting for their owners to drive them away. Hybrids are gaining in popularity, and with good reason. Gas mileage is the main reason people invest in hybrids. All new hybrid models are powered by a combination of internal combustion, gasoline-powered engines and quiet electric motors. However, there are different perks that come from hybrid vs. plug-in hybrid models.

Learn more about the differences between hybrid vs plug-in hybrid vehicles with our detailed guide from our staff! We’d love to put you behind the wheel of a new vehicle that helps your family save money on the overall costs of ownership while lowering your carbon emissions!

Differences Between Hybrid & Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles

What are the main differences between hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles?Conventional hybrid vehicles use a gasoline engine and electric power in sync with each other. These types of hybrids rely on their internal combustion engines to keep their medium-sized batteries charged. The forward motion recharges the battery as you travel using a special generator.

A plug-in hybrid (PHEV), as the name implies, utilizes a larger battery charged through a 120-volt household outlet or a 240-volt charging unit in your garage. Plug-in hybrids start each drive with electric power and switch to gas when the battery runs out. A plug-in hybrid offers a great choice if you have a short commute to work or need to run errands nearby to save the most gas.

Hybrid vs. Plug-in Hybrid: Benefits of Hybrid Models

The way a hybrid vehicle works feels familiar to Ridgway drivers, and the experience is quite intuitive. As you travel, your vehicle will be powered by an internal combustion engine and an electric motor working in concert with each other. You won’t see or notice the differences as one motor switches with the other. This drastically improves fuel economy and allows your gasoline engine to recharge your battery as you drive.

For example, the electric motor might stay on if you’re traveling 30 mph or less. When you travel faster, the internal combustion engine comes on, and it charges the electric battery. You will hardly notice the difference between the motor types as you drive. Hybrid vehicles typically see better gas mileage on city roads when the electric motor runs.

The way traditional hybrid vehicles propel themselves offers the benefit of improved gas mileage without the need to stop and recharge the battery. This can be a major advantage since you can drive with improved fuel efficiency without any major disruptions to your existing driving habits.

Hybrid vs. Plug-in Hybrid: Benefits of Plug-In Hybrid Models

Plug-in hybrid vehicles also work with a gasoline engine and an electric motor. Rather than the vehicle automatically switching between gas and electric, a plug-in hybrid deploys the electricity first as you pull out of your garage after a night of charging. A plug-in hybrid vehicle starts out by running on its battery-powered electric motor during your Delta travels. Once the battery is fully drained, the internal combustion engine will take over until you recharge the battery in your garage overnight.

Rather than the two power sources working in conjunction, plug-in hybrid vehicles treat the gasoline engine as a backup plan after the battery drains completely. You can drive on the battery’s all-electric range until it’s empty of power. Once your vehicle reaches that limit, you’ll need to plug your car in to regain battery power. Luckily, your plug-in hybrid will easily charge overnight in your garage!

One main advantage of a plug-in hybrid is that you can run on pure electricity if you have short commutes. Your daily drives can be environmentally friendly with zero carbon emissions! Since you can pre-charge your vehicle overnight, many plug-in hybrid cars offer the range you need to run errands around town and get to work without running on gas at all. Many plug-in hybrids can run for up to 30 to 50 miles on electricity alone. If your daily commute is 15 miles or less (one way), consider a plug-in hybrid for your driving needs.

Find a Hybrid or Plug-In Hybrid for Sale at Flower Motor Company

Now that you’re familiar with the differences between hybrid and plug-in hybrid models, it’s time to take your interest to new levels. Contact us or call 970-615-1941 to schedule a test drive with our team so you can drive on Telluride roads with a new hybrid.

Read more details about EVs and owning an electric car. If you’re ready to buy a new hybrid from us, apply for financing to jumpstart the car-buying process.