What’s the Difference between a Regular Hybrid and a Plug-in Hybrid?

What’s the Difference between a Regular Hybrid and a Plug-in Hybrid?

In the same way a mule is a hybrid animal sort of midway between a horse and a donkey, with traits from both, a hybrid car combines the traits of both a traditional internal combustion vehicle and one that relies only on electricity. But while all mules typically come with the same power source, hybrid cars – including plug-ins and mild hybrids – are driven by different combinations of electricity and gasoline. 

What Is a Hybrid Vehicle?

A “regular” hybrid vehicle combines a traditional internal combustion engine with an electric motor and a large battery for electricity storage. These vehicles don’t need to be plugged in, however, as you create electricity for the hybrid battery through regenerative braking. This captures braking energy usually lost through heat and transforms it into electricity to be stored in the hybrid battery. The vehicle then uses that electricity to add a little extra power to the gas engine for increased performance and better efficiency (because you’re using electrical power instead of gas power for some of your motivation). 

Most hybrid vehicles can actually generate enough electricity to travel for a short distance, at a low speed, without using gasoline at all. Others can have two motors, one for the front axle and another devoted only to driving the rear wheels, which creates an efficient solution for all-wheel drive.

What Is a Plug-In Hybrid Vehicle?

Plug-In hybrids are basically just like regular hybrids, but with significantly bigger batteries. In fact, the batteries are so much larger that regenerative braking alone isn’t enough to charge them. You have to plug them in to fully “fill them up.” The other side of the coin is that the plug-in’s bigger batteries also enable longer all-electric driving ranges.

For example, a 2024 Toyota Prius Hybrid has a 0.93k Wh lithium-ion battery that enables you to drive less than a mile and under 40 mph. The 2024 Toyota Prius Prime has an 18.1 kWh battery pack with an EPA estimate of 44 miles of all-electric range in typical driving. After that, the Prius Prime runs like a regular hybrid for a total range of about 600 miles.

Bonus: What Is a Mild Hybrid Vehicle?

Mild-hybrid technology is available from many automakers under many different names, from the eTorque systems found on some Jeeps and RAM trucks to the Mercedes-Benz ISG (Integrated Starter Generator). Vehicles with these systems slot in below regular hybrids on the electrification spectrum: They have smaller batteries that provide a smaller boost of power to the gas engine and are often used in cars with stop/start systems. The battery has just enough power to keep accessories on without the gas engine running, and it delivers the energy needed to restart the car when necessary.

And again, like a regular hybrid, mild hybrids charge through regenerative braking so you don’t have to worry about plugging in.

Now that you know, you can start shopping here, start selling here, and enjoy the whole HMSMC site from wherever you have an Internet connection.