PLUGGING IN: A PRIMER
Electric, hybrid basics
With the number of new electrified or partially electrified vehicles growing each year and with the increase in charging-station infrastructure nationally, more and more consumers are taking a hard look at electricity as a power option for their next vehicle. But unlike early adopters who only had to choose from a few models a decade or so ago, the number and types of electrically powered vehicles have reached a point where some serious research is needed before stepping into a retailer’s showroom.
First a little review of the different types of electrically powered vehicles that are out on the streets.
Gasoline/electric hybrids: Think the original Toyota Prius. Hybrids can use an internal combustion engine as the primary power source with a battery pack providing secondary assist. (Although there are hybrids that use the electric drive motor as the primary pusher.) They don’t require any external source of electricity to charge the battery pack and generally have the same range and refuelling process as regular gasoline or diesel vehicles.
Plug-in hybrids: These are much like gasoline/electric hybrids with the addition of a plug-in port to recharge the drive battery pack and
they can operate solely on electricity for up to 50 km (depending on manufacturer). They offer the opportunity for many commuters to use gasoline only for longer trips and don’t come with any range anxiety.
Extended-range electrics: These are vehicles that are powered by electricity but have an on-board combustion engine powered generator to extend their range. Think Chevrolet Volt.
Pure electrics: These are only powered by electricity. Think Nissan Leaf or any Tesla.
A great guide to all of these vehicle types and more is a book recently released by Daniel Breton and Jacques Duval of Quebec. The Guide to Electric, Hybrid & Fuelefficient Cars is a handy 240-page reference covering all of the products available today and some hints on what’s coming in the future.
Many of us think that there is only one type of battery for any electric or hybrid vehicle, but there are actually seven distinct versions in use today (not including the traditional 12-volt lead-acid battery that most hybrids still use to start the gasoline engine). They range from lithium-ion to nickelmetal hydride to lithium titanate. They each have unique abilities in terms of power delivery, range and lifespans, and it’s important to understand the differences they can offer for meeting your daily driving needs.
While most of us have experienced unpredictable lifespans and failures of our lead-acid batteries, these advanced power-cells, for the most part, have very predictable reliability, regardless of the temperatures they operate in or the driving style of their owners. They have the capability of being depleted and recharged a finite number of times before their range drops dramatically. Almost all carmakers offer the same eight-year warranty on these batteries but if you plan to keep an electric or hybrid vehicle past that time, you might want to do some replacement-pricing research.
Toyota offers the ability to replace individual segments of the Prius’s drive battery, but change all of them at once and the bill can exceed $7,000 (and this is one of the cheaper ones on the market). FCA’s new Pacifica hybrid minivan’s battery tops out at over $22,000.
While gasoline/electric hybrids and extended-range electrics can save you plenty at the gas pumps, there isn’t much relief from routine maintenance and repair costs compared to traditional autos. As long as there’s an internal combustion engine on board, you’ll face oil changes, periodic filter and spark plug replacements and cooling system services, not to mention exhaust and emission controls.
Pure electrics can free us from much of the drudgery and expense of traditional automotive repairs and servicing. Look at your last few years worth of repair invoices and sort out those involved with any engine, cooling-system, related fluids, exhaust, or emission work. They can easily total half of your vehicle maintenance and repair costs and would be eliminated on a pure-electric vehicle.