Hybrid vehicles are those that have electric motors and an internal combustion engine to get their power.

But, there are various types of hybrids out there. We’re here to explain the differences (in the simplest terms possible).

Hybrid

Let’s start with the standard hybrid setup, also called a self-charging hybrid.

A hybrid vehicle combines an internal combustion engine and a battery-powered electric motor or several motors to power the wheels, generally to get better gas mileage and to reduce emissions over a non-hybrid vehicle.

The internal combustion engine works like it does on any other car, burning gas to generate power, which powers the vehicle.

Then there’s the battery pack and electric motors. The electric motors are able to motivate the vehicle on their own, usually during low power demands such as at low speeds, or the vehicle can get power from the electric motors and the internal combustion engine working together, or just from the engine alone.

The battery gets its charge from the internal combustion engine as it’s working, and when the driver hits the brakes on vehicles equipped with regenerative braking systems.

Plug-in hybrid

A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) works much like a hybrid vehicle, combining an internal combustion engine and electric motors to get its power.

But they’ve got the benefit of being able to be charged at an outlet, and can typically operate on electric power alone for short distances. Once the battery is low, the fuel-burning engine kicks in. This allows most plug-in hybrid to be operable on all-electric power by people who drive them short distances.

Mild hybrid

Mild hybrid vehicles are not like the hybrids mentioned above, in that their electric motors don’t power the vehicle by themselves. They do, however, help improve fuel efficiency, albeit more modestly than a full-on hybrid.

Mild hybrid vehicles have a battery pack and electric motor. The battery pack is smaller than what you’d find in a hybrid vehicle, but larger than a traditional battery in an ICE car. The electric motor powers certain components that are traditionally handled by the internal combustion engine, such as the air conditioner, reducing the load on the engine, and allows the engine to shut off during braking or when the vehicle is coasting. In some cars, the motor also helps the vehicle accelerate.

The mild hybrid battery is charged by the engine, and through regenerative braking, if the car’s equipped with this system, just like in a hybrid vehicle.

Other terms

Regenerative braking: Traditional brakes, whether disc or drum brakes, use friction to slow the car down, while regenerative brakes use electric motors to capture energy. This is also called recuperation. By reversing the electric motors that drive the vehicle, energy is fed back into the electric system’s battery, while the motor slows down the vehicle.

Start-stop system: A start-stop system automatically shuts off the internal combustion engine when a vehicle comes to a stop. Vehicle functions, such as the lights, radio and AC, will continue to function, running off battery power. Then, when the driver releases the brakes, the engine turns back on and off you go. Vehicles equipped with this system typically allow the driver to turn off this feature, if they don’t want to use it.

Load point shifting: When the car’s computer recognizes strain on the engine, it shifts some of its load onto the electric motor to improve efficiency.

Gliding: Gliding turns off the vehicle’s engine when the car is still moving but the driver is no longer pressing down on the accelerator pedal, making coasting more fuel efficient.