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I read a lot about electric vehicles, my main interest is in something that comes with a plug – the plug in Hybrids are useful around town and full BEVs aren’t for everyone. However, I get a touch confused by the terminology around the other hybrids.
So far I’ve come across ‘Full Hybrid’, ‘Mild Hybrid’, ‘Hot hybrid’ and ‘self charging’.
Now, personally I have a major issue with anything that claims it’s self charging. It’s not. Physics dictates that nothing is going to charge itself, it’ll require some energy input from somewhere. If I left a Toyota parked in a car park would the battery be fully charged after a day? A week? A month? No? Then what does it take to charge itself?
So, other than my self charging rant, what is the difference between full (and I assume part?) hybrid, mild and otherwise? Is it just different marketeers using different terms for the same thing?
I'm Autistic, if I say something you find offensive, please let me know, I can guarantee it was unintentional.
I'll try to give my honest opinion but am always open to learning.Mark
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We’ll,mtge normal terms are
MHEV, mild hybrid small battery to give a bit of a boost (such as our Aston Martin Valkyrie)
PHEV Plug in Hybrid, with both a battery and petrol engine that can be charged either through the plug or from the engine and can be powered by both battery and petrol engine
Hybrid, battery driven but charged with onboard petrol engine, only the battery is connected to the drivetrain and can’t be charged outside the the car
and BEV Battery Electric Vehicles,battery powered only
Hi our Kuga fhev recharges through the braking system
Can’t understand why you should be having a ‘rant’ at self charging vehicles. What’s not to like?
I have a Toyota Corolla Touring Sport and really like it, for me it’s the best of both worlds. My average consumption is currently 58 miles to the gallon but that will go up even further now the warmer weather is here. As ridiculous as it sounds, I have had figures of over 300 MPG during a 8 mile run.
Mild hybrid (MHEV) -The engine always powers the car, assisted by a small electric battery 12v/48v. when accelerating etc. This boost from the battery reduces the engine’s workload. Energy otherwise lost when braking is used to recharge the battery.
Full hybrid (FHEV) – Can run on electric power over short distances. boost from the battery can also help when accelerating, with a larger battery than a MHEV. The electric motor sources energy from either the battery or the engine whilst driving. As with a mild hybrid, full hybrids self-charge by harnessing energy otherwise lost while braking or driving.
The kia Sportage FHEV can accelerate from 0-60 in 7.2sec
Plug-in hybrid (PHEV) – The most expensive type of hybrid to buy, take full hybrid technology a stage further – they self-charge but can also be recharged from an external electricity supply. Their larger batteries mean PHEVs have a longer all-electric range than a full hybrid.
The Sportage PHEV takes 7.9sec due to the extra weight
Thanks all. I wasn’t quite getting the full/mild bit but that all helps.
Can’t understand why you should be having a ‘rant’ at self charging vehicles. What’s not to like? I have a Toyota Corolla Touring Sport and really like it, for me it’s the best of both worlds. My average consumption is currently 58 miles to the gallon but that will go up even further now the warmer weather is here. As ridiculous as it sounds, I have had figures of over 300 MPG during a 8 mile run.
I would be fine if it wasn’t for Toyota’s advertising campaign trying to tell the world that anything with a plug is a mistake and self charging is the future. It clearly isn’t. To be fair (and I’m sure Kezo would back me on this) I’m pretty much live and let live. I believe that a BEV is perfect for me and my next car and all after will have a big battery in it. That doesn’t follow that I insist that all drivers should be looking to switch within the next months, more I acknowledge that there are instances where technology has a long way to go to meet the needs of some people, whether it’s range or the ability to charge at a reasonable price when home charging isn’t an option. It’s just that Toyota’s campaign really annoyed me, self charging is a fallacy it might have the capability to charge using energy it converts itself and there will be a opposite effect from that (absorbing energy into the battery takes it either from the propulsion system while you’re trying to go forward and therefore costs mpg or a form of regenerative braking, which beats heat loss, which is a more useful form of energy capture but isn’t highly efficient so will take miles to recoup the energy required for a few metres).
For me it’s about the distance you can drive without using the engine. If you’re supposed to be making the immediate surroundings more pleasant then not chucking out exhaust emissions is a good thing. A full hybrid that can run for half a mile can easily get you out of a multi-story carpark without gassing everyone else. A PHEV that can run 20 miles might be able to get you home without using the engine, that’s even better for those people you pass.
A Range Extended BEV will have all the weight of a PHEV but will power the wheels with motors rather than any form of combustion engine sourced mechanical power. The engine acts as a very large generator and either puts power into the battery or powers the motor. This has the benefit of running like a PHEV but with the characteristics of a BEV, ie full torque from the first second. Nissan’s E-Power is almost this theory in a MHEV variant, it’s battery is far to small (and there’s no plug) for it to run any great distance but the benefits of powering the wheels from an electrical motor and slowing using regeneration can still be used.
Thanks all, I’ve got it in my head exactly what the differences are now.
I'm Autistic, if I say something you find offensive, please let me know, I can guarantee it was unintentional.
I'll try to give my honest opinion but am always open to learning.Mark
To be fair (and I’m sure Kezo would back me on this) I’m pretty much live and let live.
Indeed sir 🙂
Nissans “E power” not on my list, but is an intering one – in that electric motors drive the wheels and it has no gearbox and drives much like a BEV. The difference been it uses a generator (engine) solely to charge the battery rather than pluging in.
They all have their place in the market apart from a MHEV that is, depending on your need/use. No doubt when we start to see vehicles with Catl and BYD semi solid state 620 mile (NEDC) batteries, it will be a different story, providing the government don’t fall back any further with their charger installs!
Thanks all. I wasn’t quite getting the full/mild bit but that all helps.
I would be fine if it wasn’t for Toyota’s advertising campaign trying to tell the world that anything with a plug is a mistake and self charging is the future. It clearly isn’t.
I guess we must have been watching very different advertising campaigns.
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Hybrid, battery driven but charged with onboard petrol engine, only the battery is connected to the drivetrain and can’t be charged outside the the car
Your tyical hybrid uses both the engine and the electric motor to power the drivetrain. Depending on the driving conditions, a hybrid can selectively operates between the engine and the electric motor or even both at the same time. A typical hybrid also has a physical gearbox.
Nissans “E power” only use electric motors to drive the wheels and it has no gearbox and drives much like a BEV. The difference from a typical FHEV is it uses a generator (engine) solely to charge the battery.
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