Should you drive a hybrid or an EV? If your main concern is which vehicle type is better for the planet, the right choice might not be as easy as you’d like.
As the electrification revolution continues and more EVs hit the market, we’ll see a greater transition from traditional gas-powered vehicles to hybrids and electric vehicles. If all things are equal, as in the same number of each type of vehicle is on the road, electric vehicles offer the cleanest driving experience with zero tailpipe emissions. Of course, other factors other than emissions are at play here.
Let’s Get Emissions Out of the Way
When it comes to direct emissions, electric vehicles stand tall and offer the cleanest driving experience on any road. Because EVs use only electricity and never need to be filled with gasoline, they produce the least emissions and help reduce the carbon footprint of vehicles. Some argue that EVs aren’t as clean as we would like because electricity is often produced by burning coal, but some studies have already shown that an EV powered entirely by coal-produced electricity is better for the environment than any vehicle with an internal combustion engine after only two years of driving.
Hybrids Start Off Ahead of EVs
Hybrid and Plug-In Hybrid vehicles utilize a much smaller battery pack than any full EV, which means less of the Rare Earth metals required to build an EV battery are present in hybrid and PHEV models. Many experts arguing against EVs have pointed directly at the mining processes used in many third-world countries where child labor and awful working conditions are prevalent. Although true in these areas, many automakers focus on sourcing materials from countries that protect their workers and don’t put children to work.
The labor force aside, the materials and process required to build an EV battery places a full-electric vehicle behind other types of vehicles when built. In fact, traditional gas-powered vehicles are better for the planet during the manufacturing process. That said, it only takes two years of driving before EVs overtake gas-powered cars in terms of environmental impact. Hybrids have small battery packs, which means it takes a little less time for EVs to overtake them environmentally.
If vehicles were meant to sit on the dealership lot and never be driven, EVs would be the worst vehicles for the planet, but once sold and on the road, the clock is ticking, and EVs are much better for the environment.
Is Forcing Drivers to Electricity Better?
Hybrid and PHEV models use gasoline. PHEVs have batteries that can be recharged using similar processes and connections as EVs. Traditional hybrids don’t have a plug-in port and supplement the gasoline engine. Although hybrids are much more efficient than traditional vehicles, they still use gasoline. Electric vehicles don’t require or use any gasoline, which forces drivers into a zero-emissions scenario. This allows EVs to be much better for the planet.
If a PHEV can be recharged, wouldn’t it be a little better overall than an EV? Consider a driver on a road trip using a plug-in hybrid vehicle. These hybrids don’t have fast-charging capabilities, which means the driver might never recharge the batteries during the road trip. This means the vehicle is operating at its least efficient process during most of the ride. With a fully electric vehicle, the driver has no option except to stop at various charging stations along the route to refill the batteries to 80% with electricity.
It’s Still Too Early to Expect Dramatic Changes
Although every automaker has been scrambling for a few years to meet the goal of selling 50% or more electric vehicles by the end of the decade, some automakers are still behind. Toyota has only one EV, Mazda canceled the only EV in its lineup in favor of PHEVs, and some brands offer only one or two models that use only battery power. That said, we already know several new electric vehicles are on the horizon, with many brands moving away from traditional hybrid models.
The latest change to the Federal EV Tax Credit offers a credit for PHEVs and EVs, but not as much for hybrid vehicles. This could spark the movement forward to more PHEVs, which is a start for many automotive brands. Once more EVs hit the market, we’ll see the dramatic changes begin, which brings us to a new driving experience.
Overall, EVs are much better for the planet than hybrids, but several flaws still exist that need to be addressed before EVs are accepted as the norm.
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