Out of the four types of electric vehicles, BEVs, PHEVs, and HEVs are commonly seen on the road today but, it’s important to prospective EV buyers to understand the distinctive characteristics, operational dynamics, and suitability of each vehicle type.
However, making the switch to an electric car is often far more affordable than most people think. Especially if you utilise a salary sacrifice scheme. This slashes the monthly cost down to a far more attractive price than purchasing outright or a traditional lease deal.
We encourage you to explore our other related blog posts such as EV plug types and our coverage of smart charging.
Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV)
There is a fourth type of Electric Vehicle, but they’re something of a rarity for now. Fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV) are fueled by hydrogen gas, which creates a chemical reaction to power an electric motor. No recharging from an external source is involved.
FCEVs can reach around 300 miles on one tank of pure hydrogen. However, the use of vehicles is limited by three main factors: available hydrogen storage/distribution technology, cost to produce hydrogen, and lack of infrastructure for fueling/re-fuelling.
We’ve identified three key factors:
- Batteries are very expensive
- Demand still far outstrips supply
- The leasing industry is still skittish about residual values for electric cars
Below we’ll have a look at the large upfront cost of the battery within an electric car, how supply chain issues are pushing prices up and why leasing companies still charge such a premium on electric cars.
Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV)
Hybrid Electric Vehicles were the first environmentally friendly cars to hit the market. Purists would argue that they are not true EVs, however, since there is no connector to charge a battery. Instead, the internal combustion engine charges a battery-powered motor using regenerative braking.
One driver’s hybrid is another driver’s compromise, you might argue. The speed and handling of a hybrid lack the “zip” of an EV. On the flip side, you’ll see lower maintenance and fuel costs if you’re switching from a gas-powered vehicle. Additionally, HEVs tend to use less fuel than conventional petrol or diesel cars, and they emit lower levels of CO2.
