Owning a low-emission vehicle is going to be the future, yet the market share of these two types is low. A plug-in hybrid is the kind of car which can run on fuel, but also has an option for electricity, while the electric car is the kind of car that only runs on electricity. Depending on the kind of usage, either of the two cars could make more sense for you.

Let us understand some points that give an answer to this question: Hybrid or electric – which is better?

Driving habits
While a hybrid car seems better as you get the best of both worlds, it must be noted that the battery in the case of a hybrid car is limited and can only support you for limited electric driving. On the other hand, the battery of an electric car is large and allows you to travel long distances without the need to charge. Thus, if you’re planning to use electricity only for daily commute for short distances and use fuel for long distances, the hybrid is better. If you’re planning to use electricity for everything, a fully electric car should be the first choice.

Price of gas
If you’re planning to buy a hybrid car, you’re planning to also ride on fuel and not just on electricity. In this case, you will have to consider the price of gas and check if it proves economical for you to drive on fuel once in a while. Also, you must keep in mind that you will keep the car for a very long time. The gas prices might be low now, they can change anytime. In such a scenario, you do not want to only use the electric function of the car. If such is the case, you should forecast and buy an all-electric vehicle.

The greener option
Apart from making your ride economical, there are also ecological benefits of owning an electric car. If you’re divided between a hybrid car and an electric one, you must be considering the environmental benefits of either. In any case, an electric car is, of course, better for the environment. Thus, for many people, the question of “ hybrid or electric- which is better?” ends at this point.

Cost of batteries
One thing that we usually do not factor in is the cost of batteries. An electric car is more expensive because of batteries, and while we do consider that before buying a car, what we do not think about is the cost of replacing the batteries later on. Here, an electric car proves more expensive than a hybrid car, since the battery in a hybrid car is smaller. Also, while we can expect the prices of batteries to go down in the future, technology is currently nascent, and there are not many users of battery cars. Hence, there’s an increase in the price of each unit.