Pure Electric Vehicles and Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles
Owning a vehicle is fascinating and breathtaking. Cars are some of the essential basics an individual wishes to have for a complete life. Two types of cars stand a chance in the market. These are pure electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles. The two types of cars have underlying differences that affect consumers’ purchasing power. Some of the differences are their prices, the required maintenance costs, and their overall service life. Even though the two-vehicle types have other differences, valuations, maintenance costs, and service life are paramount, and they influence the purchase costs of consumers. This paper explores some of the differences between pure electric cars and plug-in hybrid vehicles in terms of prices, maintenance costs, and service life.
Before buying any type of vehicle, the primary aspect and aim of a car owner are to purchase a vehicle with low ultra-emissions. Protecting the environment and the people in it should be the most significant element to consider when planning to buy a vehicle. Therefore, surveying the options is as challenging as choosing what to purchase. Two significant options of cars are prevalent in the field of vehicles. There are plug-in hybrid vehicles that run on electric usage but also have an option to use petrol or diesel (Emadi et al. 2238). On the other hand, pure electric vehicles use electricity alone to run along. This is why the two types of cars have differences in pricing, maintenance, and service life; hence, the purchase cost of those wishing to own a car depends on the elements mentioned above.
Pure hybrid vehicles do not have extra costs of fueling them. They depend on electricity, and the owner can charge them using the home tariff electricity, especially when it is at the cheapest range. Switching on an electric vehicle is essential. The owner imposes a low ultra-emission, which is vital in avoiding fuel duties. Fuel duties are often imposed on vehicles that run on electricity and charged at home using the home electricity tariff. Those who own pure electric vehicles pay a 5% VAT chargeable towards the electricity used.
Furthermore, pure electric vehicles do not pay vehicle excise duty or road tax. This is applicable if the vehicle only if the list price does not exceed 40,000 Euros (Emadi et al. 2240). It is ideal for those owning companies to choose pure electric vehicles over plug-in hybrid vehicles because, in the following financial year, tax calculations at the company will be calculated at 0% of the list price of the vehicle. For instance, 2020-21 will constitute 1%, and 2021-22 will have 1%, while 2022-23 will have 2%. Plug-in hybrids also have relatively low rates than petrol and diesel vehicles. Still, plug-in hybrid vehicles with longer driving ranges have lower rates than those with shorter driving ranges. In general, the up-front cost of purchasing a pure electric vehicle is steeper and higher, however, on the database about the comparative prices of electric vehicles highlights the significant differences in the price of new pure electric vehicles.
The service life of any given vehicle is a paramount element to look at before purchasing a vehicle of your choice. The underlying differences in the service life between pure electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles affect individuals’ purchasing costs. A vehicle with a longer service life is costly but attractive to the consumers. No one would want to buy a vehicle that has a shorter service life. Currently, vehicles with low ultra-emissions are significantly dominating the world of cars (Jinrui). For instance, in early 2019, there was a six-fold increase in the number of pure electric cars, while the plug-in hybrid cars also increased by 20%. Compared to 2018, the increase indicates that vehicle flow and the emergence of second-hand vehicles are likely to spike soon. This implies that the price premium for such vehicles is negated, and any consumer concerns regarding battery longevity have been rubbed off by the long warranties from the manufacturers. Prices of second hand pure electric vehicles have increased significantly, making it a necessity for willing buyers to purchase them as early as now because there are possibilities that the prices will increase with the increase in popularity in usage.
Another aspect to look at under the service life of plug-in hybrid vehicles and the pure electric vehicles is that the world of vehicles is evolving. Many inventions are emerging, and most of them focus on keeping green. Therefore, plug-in hybrid vehicles are likely to become extinct. The cost and the environmental advantages of choosing pure electric vehicles over plug-in hybrid vehicles are worth looking into. Many governments are now phasing out plug-in hybrid to eliminate petrol and diesel usage. For instance, the UK government has announced that by 2035, there would be no new sales of plug-in hybrid cars. This is likely to affect people’s purchasing costs since they will have to think of purchasing pure electric vehicles. Some people find the plug-in hybrid with little electricity and petrol or diesel a good combination necessary for their lifestyle and work pattern (Emadi et al. 2244). There is a likelihood that pure electric vehicles will replace all vehicles in the future since they are flexible, and the future intends to be electric.
Pure electric and plug-in hybrid cars have batteries, which helps them operate efficiently as compared to conventional vehicles powered by gas. However, some underlying cost differences exist between the two types of vehicles. The type of fuel in pure electric vehicles and the plug-in hybrid is different. Both have batteries which are chargeable with electricity. As such, electricity can be tapped through various sources, including the burning of fossil fuels, renewable sources like solar and pumping of hydro-electric power plants to produce electricity. Thus, for car owners who are environmentally friendly and conscious about emissions and pollutions, opting for pure electric vehicles is paramount (Nordelöf et al. 1870). This will also require the owner to invest and install renewable electricity options like solar panels to curb emissions and also reduce the costs of electricity used in charging the batteries.
More so, plug-in hybrid vehicles are flexible in fuel usages. They can run on both gasoline and electricity. This depends on the owner’s driving habits; thus, the driver can switch between an automated use of electricity and gasoline. Having a gasoline option is vital, especially when there is stress associated with the limited ranges imposed on electric cars. Electric vehicles run out of charge as compared to the plug-in hybrid vehicles with electricity and gasoline options. More so, gasoline recharge stations are more available than in EV recharging stations (Silva et al. 1640). Even though one can opt for the plug-in hybrid vehicle due to the highlighted efficiency, gasoline prices are higher than the electric prices. When one is using an electric vehicle, the electricity bill is added to your home electricity tariff. That is to imply that electricity prices are lower than gasoline prices on every mile traveled (Maggetto et al. 1).
A vehicle owner not only requires paying for the fuel consumed but also maintenance costs. These are vital costs to keep the car in good condition. Hybrid vehicles require a higher maintenance cost since it runs into many issues. Some of the issues include engine oil, transmission fluid, coolants, and replacements incur additional costs on the lifetime of the vehicles (Khaligh et al. 2809). Combustion engine costs are not part of the EVs; however, universal car problems like changing the tires, insurance, and structural damages need to be addressed. Generally, the maintenance costs in EVs are less than the maintenance costs in Plug-in hybrids. More so, a person must consider the rebates and government incentives associated with either of the car types he or she purposes to purchase.
In conclusion, owning a vehicle is one of the primary basics that a person would wish to have. There are two types of vehicles in the current world of cars. These are purely electric and plug-in hybrid cars. The two have underlying differences in terms of their prices, maintenance costs, and service life. The differences are essential to look into because they affect people’s purchase costs, as discussed above.
Works Cited
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Jinrui, N., W. Zhifu, and R. Qinglian. “Simulation and analysis of the performance of a pure electric vehicle with a super-capacitor.” 2006 IEEE Vehicle Power and Propulsion Conference. IEEE, 2006.
Khaligh, Alireza, and Zhihao Li. “Battery, ultracapacitor, fuel cell, and hybrid energy storage systems for electric, hybrid electric, fuel cell, and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles: State of the art.” IEEE transactions on Vehicular Technology 59.6 (2010): 2806-2814.
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Nordelöf, Anders, et al. “Environmental impacts of hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and battery electric vehicles—what can we learn from life cycle assessment?.” The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 19.11 (2014): 1866-1890.
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