One question that came up as I was learning about hybrid automobiles is this : What is PHEV? Here is what I found in trying to understand the wonderful new world of hybrid.
The term PHEV refers to Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle. When the battery runs out of power, the user can conveniently plug the car into a power outlet and recharge it without relying on the primary gasoline engine found in the vehicle.
Here’s a simple definition for a Hybrid car: It is a car that makes use of two different engines. One of them is an electric motor and the other is a gasoline-powered engine.
One thing that strikes you when you dig deeper into the world of hybrid vehicles is that there are various kinds of hybrids on the market. Here are some types that we have covered on our site:
PHEV vs Conventional Hybrid Technology
For a first-timer, the concept of PHEV may sound a bit confusing because the term hybrid cars are being discussed prevalently and most assume that they are all the same.
However, the PHEV’s power source is different and straight forward when compared to a conventional hybrid car.
Hybrid cars have an electric motor and battery, but the latter will be charged only through a powertrain that uses gasoline or diesel. The option to use a direct power outlet to charge the battery is not found in these cars, whereas a PHEV focuses on simple plug-in technology to get the job done.
What are the Different Modes in PHEV?
Similar to many other hybrid cars, manufacturers have been continuously providing choices in the PHEV sector. The world of electric cars is pretty new and its adoption rate is still small. It has pushed a lot of manufacturers in the automobile sector to think out of the box and provide as many options as possible.
When people have more types of electric cars to choose from, it can help usher in the new options for the consumer.
All-Electric – One of the best and futuristic types of PHEV is the all-electric mode. The car will have an electric motor and a large battery to help cover as much distance as possible. Whenever you are about to run out of charge, it can be charged in a charging outlet. There will be a gasoline powertrain in the same car but it will not kick in when the car is used in all-electric mode.
The mile range capacity of the batteries is 70 miles or so on a single charge.
Hybrid – When switched to hybrid mode, the gasoline engine will work in unison with the electric motor to provide a combined power output. The horsepower will be calculated accordingly and in this mode, the powertrain will charge the battery every time you de-accelerate the car which indirectly boosts the mile range. It also helps you switch to all-electric mode after some time as the battery will be fully charged because of this process.
How Does a PHEV Engine Work?
In addition to simply plugging your car into a power outlet in a gas station or in your garage, there are further processes that can also help a PHEV work.
There are two different and commonly used methods which help boost up the battery power as many times as possible.
Regenerative Braking
Every time the driver applies the brake, the electric motor will act as a generator and the energy generated, even though minor during this small period, will be used to charge the battery. When you are driving in heavy traffic conditions, it is difficult to not avoid the brake but all the loss of fuel can be converted into energy for future use. The regenerative braking process allows automobile manufacturers to use smaller engines instead of demanding powertrain, which in turn save fuel costs, but deliver improved horsepower because of the combined efforts.
Internal Combustion Engine – In a typical PHEV model, the car will automatically be programmed to start up in all-electric mode. Even though the total range of the electric motor will be limited, it will run all the way before it drains out and switches to the built-in powertrain. Based on the model and the make, it is also capable of moving to hybrid mode on their own to save fuel and cruise the car at a steady speed to cover the additional distance. It can comfortably maintain high speeds up to 60 or 70 miles per hour.
Idle Off Feature
The feature might sound common and can be found in most other cars too! However, with the help of Idle Off feature, the gasoline
The difference between an electric motor and an engine is
Configurations Available in PHEV Models
There are two commonly found PHEV variants:
- plug-in hybrids
- extended-range electric vehicles.
In both these variants, the electric motor is the sole source that uses the power available to keep the wheels operational.
The only task of the gasoline engine is to recharge the motor as it drains out.
Such types of vehicles can be used for daily office commuting and they can be driven short distances without using any amount of gasoline at all.
Another type of
In this particular variant, the engine and the electric motor will be simultaneously connected to the wheels. Both these engines can be individually used to power up the car and move to match all kinds of driving conditions. The gasoline powertrain will be much more powerful in terms of size and the horsepower it generates.
The electric motor can be used only when you are cruising at slow speeds within the city limits in traffic, but not an ideal choice for high-speed freeway driving or in other terrains.
The Cost of Using a PHEV
Big automobile brands like Ford, BMW, Honda and even luxury manufacturers like Porsche and Mazda are trying hard to bring down the price of the PHEV and other types of hybrid vehicles. The fact that they are not widely adopted in the mainstream market continues to keep the cost of the vehicle on the higher side.
The government has been providing subsidies to promote PHEV and hybrid cars, encouraging more people to adopt newer technology which contributes to an eco-friendly environment.
In the last few years, they have significantly come down in price and it is possible to buy a PHEV car for just $25,000 to $35,000 which is pretty much the same you would pay for any other car.
Other benefits of owning a PHEV or hybrid include:
- Save money on gas
- Save money on routine maintenance
- Reduce your carbon footprint
How to Use a PHEV Car?
People are used to using a gasoline powered engine which can be filled at any gas station spread across the city. However, using an electric car such as a plug-in hybrid may not be so easy especially when it has low mile range and relies on the electric motor.
Considering you are charging the vehicle in a 120-volt outlet, it would easily take a couple of hours for a large battery to fully get charged. The timeline is about one to four hours if you are doing the same plugin outlet charging on a 240-volt charger which is not commonly found in all countries except for the ones that already use it. The fast charge capability in these batteries are being boosted which should significantly reduce the amount of time it takes to charge but it is yet to be widely adopted.
The automobile companies are also working on building wireless charging so that you can comfortably drive your car over a specific surface in a charging station and get the job done. It is easy, intuitive and can bring about a big change in the world of electric cars as well as PHEVs. Within just 30 minutes or so, you will be able to cover tens of miles on a PHEV car when fast charging is enabled and it is even better when you get the same in a wireless environment.
Tesla Motors is pioneering the plug-in technology on a whole new level while working on all-electric cars. These vehicles are powered by an electric motor and large batteries which are capable of providing over a hundred or two hundred miles on a single charge.
Users can easily get from one end of the city to another before it needs to be charged. PHEV is a preferred technology right now because they still retain the gasoline engine.
For a look at difference between PHEV and Mild Hybrid vehicles, start here