Hybrid Cars: Are They Actually Good for the environment?

Hybrid cars have gotten quite famous over the last few years, because for people they are like an electric car, but cheaper.But most of them are really not that good.Here Luis gives us an overview of the most popular types.

Standard Hybrids

Hybrid cars that most people use (like a Toyota Prius) are called Standard Hybrids, the standard kind of hybrid has a very small battery which is charged by breaking, the battery is so small that if it was only used, it would go for 0,8km at a speed of 30km/h.They reduce fifty meters per kilometer of gasoline.They have the advantage of being able to refuel in gas stations, the higher the speed, the less battery that is used. We can clearly see that the standard hybrids don't really help the environment.

Plug-In Hybrids

The second type of hybrid cars are called Plug-In Hybrids.This type of hybrid has a larger battery that the standard ones.It needs to be charged in a charging point or in your own home with a cable.This type mostly uses an efficiency mode called "efficiency mode" where both are used at he same time.They have a electric motor with a range of about fifty two kilometers and a gasoline motor of about two hundred kilometers.They reduce about six hundred meters per kilometer.A disadvantage of these is that apart from plugging it in, you need to go to the Gas Station.These do help a lot to the environment.

Extended Range Electrics

Extended range electrics (like the BMW iTHREE.) They are the opposite to Standard Hybrids, a electric motor, with a gas motor for emergencies.They mostly have electric motors of a range between two hundred-six hundred kilometers.These basically use about fifty meters of gas every one thousand kilometers! They basically don't use gas and completely resolve the car/environment kilometers.

So, why don't people buy Extended Range?

Most people don't buy Extended Range because of price, for example:a Prius (which is a Standard Hybrid,) starts at twenty four thousand euros, but an iTHREE (which is an Extended Range,) starts at forty one thousand euros.

Luis Barallat, 7I