Hyundai's Hybrid Range

Hybrids are vehicles that simply rely on two different power sources for motion. They have an electric motor and a petrol engine. They use the electric motor to drive the vehicle, whilst the petrol engine supplies power to the electric motor when needed and supports a generator to charge the hybrid battery. The goal of a hybrid is to use the electric portion of the drivetrain as much as possible without compromising performance.

Conventional hybrid vehicles do not need to be charged as the battery is charged by a combination of the combustion engine and brake regeneration.

It is recommended however, when convenient, to charge Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) as these models utilise a larger battery and more powerful electric motor than regular hybrid models. This enables significant distances to be covered purely on battery power alone, therefore helping reduce running costs and emissions.

An electric car runs exclusively on electric energy stored in a battery, while a hybrid car runs on a combination of electricity and conventional fuel.

There are three common types of Hybrids.
• A full hybrid can run on just the combustion engine (i.e. diesel/petrol), the electric engine (i.e. power from batteries), or a combination. A full hybrid is not plugged in to recharge; the battery is recharged by running the combustion engine.
• A mild hybrid has an electric motor and combustion engine which always work together. Mild hybrids cannot run in just electric or just combustion engine mode; the engines/motors always work in parallel.
• A plug-in hybrid, as the name suggests, requires plugging into the mains in order to fully recharge its battery. PHEVs can be run in just electric mode.

No. This is a common misconception.

A hybrid vehicle uses a battery to power its wheels when there is enough charge. The vehicle will then use the engine to supplement the battery when required. The hybrid system uses regenerative braking to improve overall efficiency.

A Regenerative Brake system allows the vehicle to charge its battery during driving. To decelerate, there’s a need to consume the kinetic energy of the vehicle. ICE vehicles do this by converting kinetic energy into thermal energy by using a friction brake. However, in a hybrid vehicle, the electric motor – which also plays the role of a generator – converts the kinetic energy into electric energy and stores it in the battery. The energy that was wasted in the ICE vehicles have recovered and can be used for later driving. This is used in hybrids and EVs.

Improvement of fuel efficiency and no need to charge the battery is the biggest strength of hybrid vehicles. Plus, it emits a lot less CO2 compared to ICE Vehicles.

Unlike hybrid vehicles, a plug-in hybrid is a hybrid vehicle that you charge by plugging into a source of electricity. It uses batteries to power an electric motor and another fuel, such as gasoline, to power an internal combustion engine. You can switch between electric and petrol with the press of a button in a Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV). Charge your battery at home and zip around the city quietly, or kick into hybrid mode for longer trips.

Just like hybrid vehicles and other electric vehicles, the regenerative brake system charges the battery to a certain extent, and the electric motor and engine work together when a large amount of power is needed.

Because PHEV can drive a certain distance on EV mode, it can provide significant benefits depending on how it is used. For instance, when commuting to and from the office, it’s possible to save on fuel and reduce emissions by operating the vehicle in EV mode. But say, you need to travel long distances on weekends. In this case, by using the engine appropriately in hybrid mode, you will be able to drive long distances without worrying about battery charging. In sum, you can enjoy both benefits of electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles.

This depends on charger and vehicle but can take as little as a few hours.