Which Type of Electric Vehicle Should You Buy?

When considering whether you want to make the switch to an electric vehicle, it is important to know that there are two types of electric vehicle:

• Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV)
• Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV)
• Full Hybrids

Battery Electric Vehicle – BEVs:

Battery-powered electric vehicles are just that, powered by electric energy stored within their batteries. This type is also known as “pure electric” vehicles. To charge this type of vehicle, simply plug it into an external electricity source, such as a regular electrical socket, a dedicated charging unit, or into any one of the many public charging stations around the country.

Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV’s) have no tailpipe and therefore create no tailpipe emissions. The batteries within these cars also recover and store energy generated when the car brakes, which is a system known as regenerative braking.

Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV’s) are great for people who largely travel within the battery range and can easily charge the car overnight at home or at work, for example.

Some Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV’s) include:

• BMW i3
• Hyundai Ioniq
• Kia Soul
• Mitsubishi i-Miev
• Nissan Leaf
• Renault Zoe
• Tesla Model S
• VW e-Golf

Vans options include:

• Renault Kangoo
• LDV V80
• Nissan eNV200

 

PHEVs:

A plug-in electric vehicle combines old and new technologies: combining a petrol or diesel engine alongside an electric motor and large rechargeable battery. These hybrids can be recharged from an external power outlet, which allows them to drive for extended distances using solely electricity. These vehicles can be driven in Electric Vehicle (EV)-only mode until most of the power stored is used, at which point the car automatically switches to running from its petrol/diesel engine.

For this mode, regenerative breaking, as explained above, charges the battery in both modes. When heavily accelerating the car, such as driving fast up a steep hill, the petrol/diesel engine and the electric motor both work together to avoid draining the battery of the car. It is also noteworthy that some Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) use a small petrol engine to generate electricity known as a range extender, which essentially powers the electric motor once the battery charge decreases to a certain point.

The range of Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) varies significantly in EV-only mode, with some models able to do 60km or more, compared to 15-20 km. PHEVs are best suited to people who need or want to travel beyond the battery range and who can charge these cars overnight at home or at work.

Some PHEVs include:

• Audi e-tron
• BMW i3 9range extender model)
• Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV
• Toyota PlugIn Prius

 

Hybrids:

Hybrids that do not plug-in are certainly more fuel-efficient than a comparable gasoline-powered car but are not electric vehicles. Hybrid batteries are only charged by re-attaining energy when braking or from electricity created by the engine. Common hybrid vehicle examples include the Toyota Prius and Honda Civic Hybrid, although almost all car makers are currently or planning to make Hybrid Vehicles to meet higher emission standards.

Longterm, Electric Vehicles are definitely the more cost-effective way to go, however, their upfront cost can be more than a Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV). The NZ govt is, however, proposing its intent to subsidize both types of vehicles in the near future, meaning that electric cars will become cheaper for kiwis to purchase soon.