6 ms·

Hybrids are a compromise --- and as such are less than optimum in every case. On short trips, you're carrying the extra weight of an unused ICE drivetrain. On

Hybrids are a compromise --- and as such are less than optimum in every case. On short trips, you're carrying the extra weight of an unused ICE drivetrain. On longer trips, you're carrying the weight of an unused battery and electric motors. The case for hybrids rests on the idea that you only have one car. But most households in the USA have 2 vehicles. What might make more sense for 2 car households is one electric vehicle and one ICE. This would allow you to choose the best vehicle for the trip at hand. The average daily drive in the US is less than 50 miles so another option might be to go totally electric and rent an ICE vehicle as needed or fly for the occasional long trip. Any way you slice it, an electrified vehicle of some sort is likely to be in the mix for most drivers going forward --- primarily for economic reasons. I expect solid state batteries to become available over the next few years and will move the needle even more in this direction.

tzs 1y ago
> On short trips, you're carrying the extra weight of an unused ICE drivetrain. On longer trips, you're carrying the weight of an unused battery and electric motors. The battery and electric motors are not unused on long trips, at least on the cars from the better hybrid makers. They are used for acceleration and passing, or when extra power is needed. They might also be used when going downhill to provide regenerative braking. > What might make more sense for 2 car households is one electric vehicle and one ICE For most households that need 2 cars EV + hybrid makes more sense. A non-plug in hybrid from one of the better makers is generally can be used exactly like you'd use the non-hybrid version of the car, but with greater reliability and lower maintenance costs.
- jqpabc123 1y ago
  They are used for acceleration and passing, or when extra power is needed. Without the added weight of the battery and motors, there would be less need for "extra power". Hybrids offer modest increases in highway mpg at significant additional cost --- close to the cost of an EV but nowhere close in terms of efficiency. Even with hybrid mpgs, you're still talking $8-10k extra fuel expense over the life of the vehicle.

tzs 1y ago

> On short trips, you're carrying the extra weight of an unused ICE drivetrain. On longer trips, you're carrying the weight of an unused battery and electric motors. The battery and electric motors are not unused on long trips, at least on the cars from the better hybrid makers. They are used for acceleration and passing, or when extra power is needed. They might also be used when going downhill to provide regenerative braking. > What might make more sense for 2 car households is one electric vehicle and one ICE For most households that need 2 cars EV + hybrid makes more sense. A non-plug in hybrid from one of the better makers is generally can be used exactly like you'd use the non-hybrid version of the car, but with greater reliability and lower maintenance costs.

jqpabc123 1y ago
They are used for acceleration and passing, or when extra power is needed. Without the added weight of the battery and motors, there would be less need for "extra power". Hybrids offer modest increases in highway mpg at significant additional cost --- close to the cost of an EV but nowhere close in terms of efficiency. Even with hybrid mpgs, you're still talking $8-10k extra fuel expense over the life of the vehicle.