Hybrid Cars

Alongside pure electric cars, hybrids and plug-in hybrids are an important part of this shift towards greener vehicles.

OVL Group has seen more customers leasing hybrid cars this year – this article covers everything you need to know about hybrid cars.

What is a hybrid car?

A hybrid car is a vehicle that combines a conventional engine (usually petrol-powered) with an electric motor.

The petrol engine charges the car’s batteries, with the electric motor usually kicking in when extra power is needed, such as during acceleration.

Cars use the most fuel when you’ve got your foot on the floor increasing speed, so using an electric motor to help the combustion engine makes cars more efficient.

On most models, the batteries are recharged by collecting wasted energy from elsewhere. For example, many hybrids use something called regenerative braking, which is where the kinetic energy released during braking is captured and used to charge the batteries. The engine also shuts down automatically when this occurs, saving fuel and cutting emissions.

What are self charging hybrid cars?

“Self-charging hybrid” is often used as another term for non-plug-in hybrid cars, which use one (or more) electric motors to improve the performance of the car’s combustion engine.

Unlike a PHEV (click here for more information about PHEVs), these hybrids cannot be plugged in to charge them up. Instead, energy is generated through the vehicle’s engine or brakes - they charge while you drive.

Are there any tax benefits?

Yes! Hybrid vehicles tend to emit less CO2 and are subject to lower tax bands.

Please contact us for expert advice about the tax benefits of ultra low emission vehicles.

Hybrid Car Deals

Electric and Hybrid Car Leasing Jargon Buster

Electric and hybrid vehicles are more popular than ever with alternatively fuelled vehicles (AFVs) now commonly seen on the UK roads.

You can take a look at our latest hybrid car leasing deals and of course our team are on hand to answer any questions you may have about leasing an electric, hybrid or PHEV car, but in the meantime, here’s a bit of a jargon buster!

AFV - alternatively fuelled vehicle

An AFV is any car that doesn’t exclusively use a conventional petrol or diesel engine.

EV - electric vehicle

This term is used for cars that run solely on electricity.

Hybrid vehicle

A vehicle that is powered by both a fuel engine and an electric motor. Many hybrids will switch between the two ‘modes’ when driving conditions are best suited to that particular form of power.

PHEV - Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle.

A type of hybrid car with a particularly good range of electric power thanks to a large propulsion battery.

Range

The distance any given electric vehicle can travel, from full charge, before it would run out and require charging again.

Range extender

A car with a range extender runs on electricity but has a small petrol or diesel engine that is used to produce electricity to recharge the batteries and extend the car's range. The petrol/diesel engine does not power the wheels.

Wallbox or home charger

If you lease an electric car, you can get a home charging station installed. These come in either slow 3kW or faster 7kW and 22kW forms.

Public chargers

There are currently about 17,000 public charging points in the UK, and this number is growing. It is now a legal requirement for all large petrol stations and motorway services to provide charging points.

80% charge

Manufacturers often quote a charging time to 80%, rather than 100% or fully charged. This is because not fully charging each time extends the life of the battery, so is recommended, and also because the last 20% takes longer to complete relative to the first 80%.

Green Car Leasing Questions

If you have any other questions about electric car leasing or leasing a hybrid car please contact us.