Hybrid vs. Electric Cars

Hybrid cars and electric cars both have a lot to offer the efficiency-conscious driver, but only one will feel like a perfect fit for your needs. Our guide to hybrid vs. electric cars can help to ensure that you drive home to Providence or East Greenwich with a feeling of genuine satisfaction. 

Hybrid Cars vs. Electric Cars: The Basics

If you’re comparing hybrid cars vs. electric cars, you’re probably looking for a more efficient daily drive. While both types of vehicles can help you reduce your recurring costs, there are some important differences between the two types of models:

• Electric cars do not have any kind of internal combustion engine. Hybrid cars have large batteries—like EVs—but they always have internal combustion engines, too.
• Hybrid cars still use gasoline, and you’ll still need to make trips to the gas station if you choose a hybrid vehicle. Most hybrids use electric power to supplement gas.
• Electric vehicles need to be plugged in to charge up. Although plug-in hybrids also need to be charged up, they are capable of running exclusively on gasoline in a pinch. Some hybrids do not require any charging at all.

Benefits of Hybrid Vehicles

Conventional hybrid vehicles charge their electric batteries as you drive, while plug-in hybrid vehicles need to be hooked up to an outlet in order to offer maximum efficiency. The trade-off is that plug-in hybrid vehicles offer more all-electric range than their conventional counterparts; you may be able to complete your daily commute in a plug-in hybrid without consuming any gasoline at all.

No matter what kind of hybrid you choose, you can expect the following benefits on the road in Warwick:

• The ability to continue to use gasoline may be a benefit for drivers who still have range anxiety: the fear that an electric vehicle won’t be able to manage the long-distance drives that they have planned.
• Hybrids might be more expensive than traditional gas-powered vehicles—at least for now. But they still tend to be more affordable than the average electric vehicle.
• Hybrid vehicles require their drivers to make fewer changes to their lifestyle. If you’re not quite ready to own an EV, but you’d like to do so in the future, a plug-in hybrid could be a great in-between step.

There are no new hybrid vehicles in the Mercedes-Benz lineup, as the company has opted to focus more on electric vehicles for the time being. However, you may be able to find a suitable hybrid in our pre-owned inventory.

Benefits of Electric Vehicles

Electric vehicles are the real deal: no other alternative on the market will allow you to cut out gasoline completely. Although you’ll need to adjust your lifestyle in order to keep your vehicle charged up, many drivers can simply plug in at their homes overnight and eliminate gas station trips forever.

Electric vehicles like the new Mercedes-Benz EQS also offer the following benefits:

• With low or no emissions, EVs are better for the environment than gasoline-powered or hybrid vehicles. It’s possible to charge an EV using renewable resources like wind or solar power.
• Electric motors are powerful and quiet. You can enjoy leading performance specs and a more relaxing daily drive.
• EVs do not have engines, so you can forget about oil changes. Maintenance requirements are generally much lower with EVs.
• Energy costs are dependent on where one lives—but electricity costs are almost always more stable than gasoline prices, and that means it’s easier to plan ahead.
• EVs may cost more up front, but tax incentives are making them more accessible than ever. And although some drivers may still suffer from range anxiety, EV performance is improving every day.

Find Your New Hybrid or EV at Mercedes-Benz of Warwick!

If you’d like to learn more about hybrid vs. electric cars, all you have to do is contact us today! We’d be happy to set you up with a test drive in the new EQS, or show you what other options we have available at our dealership near Cranston.