Electric or hybrid?

[Lovemyev]

I switched from hybrid (Mitsubishi outlander PHEV) to the ZS after an over £400 bill for servicing. The majority of the cost was ICE related ( oil, filter, plugs etc) on an engine that had little running as most of my miles had been in electric mode.
So definitely full E.V. for me.

After owning a VW Golf PHEV for over four years, I found the cost of servicing increased with it's age.
Having two forms of propulsion have there different service demands added together.
I also extended the warranty on my car for peace of mind.
There are a very complicated piece of equipment that when running correctly is fine, but if you are unlucky enough to require a repair on the hybrid system, it can be a very expensive one.

 

[Stuart Wright]

Having two forms of propulsion have there different service demands added together

Right. I understand why people would choose a hybrid. Greener than 100% ICE and cheaper than EV, but no range anxiety. And range anxiety is a big deal.
But it has all the disadvantages of complexity and weight of having two forms of propulsion crammed under the bonnet.

 

[Lovemyev]

Right. I understand why people would choose a hybrid. Greener than 100% ICE and cheaper than EV, but no range anxiety. And range anxiety is a big deal.
But it has all the disadvantages of complexity and weight of having two forms of propulsion crammed under the bonnet.

Hi Stu - I totally agree.
There still is a place in the market for PHEV's for some users of course.
The price point between PHEV and EV's are closing.
When I purchased my VW Golf GTE PHEV back in 2015 - The e.Golf was only about 2,000 more at the time, but the range was not suitable at that time.
As EV drivers we should never be subjected to range anxiety - charger anxiety is what we have !.
IF it was necessary for me to loose my EV ( God forbid ) then I would return to another PHEV.
Never an ICE or even one of these so called "Self Charging Hybrids" that are now produced.

 

[Cocijo]

Many users choices are driven primarily by company car taxation rules.

 

[JodyS21]

Hybrids to me seem just like a temporary stop-gap measure until battery prices get low enough.

If you're doing journeys 99% of the time that can be done within the range of a full EV battery, there's no question to just get a full EV.

A hybrid I think is generally a waste of effort i.e. is it worth all having all of the extra hardware in the car for just getting what it usually a very small number of miles by electric power. A plug in hybrid I guess normally has a bit bigger battery in it so is more worth it, but one of these self charging hybrids - what's the point!?

Either just get a super efficient modern petrol car until EV prices come down, or go full EV now.
Just my opinion!

 

[Mgkev]

Like @Kithmo I too have a Prius PHV and the MG. The Prius was bought a year before the MG and was instrumental in our decision to go full fat EV. We used the Prius for local journeys up to 35 miles on electric and 70mpg for longer trips around the UK. Until the charging network can work for you I’d suggest PHV if you have long journeys to make. If the MG HS was an EV with 200 plus winter range I’d chop both in for one.

 

[Adi6phil]

I have had a hybrid but never a phev but i do think that they are a worthwhile vehicle . Mainly for those reasons you have just mentioned

 

[MrG]

Looking more and more like a no-brainer to me. Hoping long-term reliability is good as we will probably be in this for the long haul, until at least the 7 year warranty expires, if not longer.

Will be looking to purchase this week!

 

[Mark Holmes]

Looking more and more like a no-brainer to me. Hoping long-term reliability is good as we will probably be in this for the long haul, until at least the 7 year warranty expires, if not longer.

Will be looking to purchase this week!

By far less moving parts to fail, about 8000 in an ICE and probably more in a PHEV but only about 8 in an electric motor...

 

[Kithmo]

By far less moving parts to fail, about 8000 in an ICE and probably more in a PHEV but only about 8 in an electric motor...

I may be proved wrong, but for me and my short local trips use, I think the first thing to fail will be the 12v.

 

[Chrispydoc]

Very slightly off topic....

MY Mitsubishi PHEV has never had more than 24-26 miles of battery range since I bought it, 4 years ago.

After many failed attempts, there is now a fix that works..... Re-setting the BMS...took 10 seconds....just
had a 38 mile run in it! .....I'm a very happy boy.

 

[Adi6phil]

Also about 4 yrs ago i looked at one of those and i seem to recall the range was only quoted as 30-35 miles ,so 38 is brill .no wonder you are chuffed

 

[Cocijo]

Very slightly off topic....

MY Mitsubishi PHEV has never had more than 24-26 miles of battery range since I bought it, 4 years ago.

After many failed attempts, there is now a fix that works..... Re-setting the BMS...took 10 seconds....just
had a 38 mile run in it! .....I'm a very happy boy.

It only took 4 Years to fix! ?

 

[Chrispydoc]

.....exactly.............The missing link!

. enjoy.

 

[JodyS21]

By far less moving parts to fail, about 8000 in an ICE and probably more in a PHEV but only about 8 in an electric motor...

One of the reasons we've ordered our EV, is our IC fiesta has been full of engine issues. Last week the cam belt snapped - it hadn't got to Fords recommended change interval, now one very broken block of metal parts.

One thing I can't figure out, is why EVs are usually rear wheel drive.
Surely having to have steering and power on the front axle means more parts/complications - cv joints etc.
Why not reduce the moving parts even more and stick the motor(s) on the straight rear axle????

 

[Cocijo]

Sorry to hear about your fiesta. I’m sure you’ll love your new EV. having front or rear motors on an EV doesn’t really add to the complexity like an ICE car. Because of their relatively simple set up there are just a couple of driveshafts from the motor to the wheels. If at the front - the driveshafts have joints that allow power to be transmitted through a greater angle as the car steers. There’s no propeller shaft for example to transmit power from front to rear. And no gearbox other than a simple transfer gear in some EV’s. it really is a simple setup. The decision where to have the driving wheels on a single motor EV is based mostly on power output. Once you get past around 250bhp it becomes harder to put the power down through front only. Some EV’s can have dual motors front and rear - some models of Tesla for example. A very simplified overview ?

 

[Mgkev]

I think VW ID3 & 4 are rear wheel drive also BMW i3.

 

[Chrispydoc]

Front wheel drives are much better in snow and ice......

 

[Electrifried]

Some believe that hybrids are the best of both worlds..I actually believe they are the worst of both worlds.

I agree, they are a compromise, they general have a reduced ICE capacity along with a vastly reduced battery capacity, neither one nor the other really.

 

[Simon J]

I had been giving some thought to a PHEV as some of them, like the Mitsubishi Outlander, can do something that no affordable EV can do - tow a trailer. However, I’ve concluded that the costs of maintaining a new PHEV (if I could afford one) are probably not that much different to keeping my Land Rover Freelander 2 for towing (and the odd longish journey into rural Ireland!) and buying a ZS for everyday use.