Hybrid or electric car: what to choose?

Between economic weight, bloated market and ecological considerations, it has perhaps never been so difficult to make a choice regarding the purchase of a new car. And if the French continue to place price at the top of their criteria (CSA / Franfinance survey, October 2018), they also appear more and more eager to move towards greener cars.

The hybrid cars and electrics are now in the spotlight. Registrations continue to increase each year, attesting to a real enthusiasm for a automobile greener. But between the hybrid car and the electric car, how to choose? By seeking the correspondence between the specificities of each vehicle and your own needs.

Electric and hybrid, a wide choice in new or used vehicles

Initially mocked, the Renault Zoe was perhaps the first emblem of the electric car in France. The Nissan Leaf, the Volkswagen ID.3 1 ST, the BMW i3 and the latest Audi e-tron followed it. And today, many other choices are available to drivers allowing the electric car to become more and more democratic.

Hybrid cars are also very popular with the general public. Considered less drastic than the purchase of an electric car, the acquisition of a hybrid car appears to be the perfect transition from gasoline or diesel engines to greener mobility. Among the most popular hybrid vehicles in France, there are several Toyota models (Yaris Hybrid, C-HR Hybrid, Auris Hybrid, RAV4 Hybrid). A sign which probably testifies to the considerable lead that the Japanese manufacturer has taken in this market.

Seven years after their arrival on French roads, electric cars are also experiencing a surge in popularity on the second-hand market. Sites such as Vivacar have dozens of Renault Zoe used cars. With the opening of the market to rental financing with an option to buy, we can expect a popularization of electric city cars in the big cities of France.

And on the second-hand market, there is also a craze for hybrid cars. It must be said that second-hand hybrids often have low mileage and that the maintenance of hybrid cars is much simpler than that of thermal petrol or diesel engines.

Hybrid or electric, different advantages

Finally, to choose between a hybrid car and an electric vehicle, it will be necessary above all to wonder about its needs and its driving habits. Indeed, the use you will have of a hybrid will necessarily differ from that you will have of an electric … and vice versa.

Thus, it will be easier to recommend an electric car to drivers who are fond of city driving and who can equip themselves with a charging station at home or at the workplace. Because theautonomy of these cars is not yet optimal and the network of charging stations remains diffuse. But the price of electricity rather interesting.

The electric car is also suitable for motorists seeking more responsible and environmentally friendly driving. The consequences on pollution are indeed almost non-existent and only the battery needs to be maintained over the long term.

Hybrid vehicles, for their part, even cheaper to buy than 100% electric – but more expensive than thermal cars -, will be perfect for drivers who are fond of driving on long journeys. Offering a dual engine between gasoline and electric, hybrid vehicles are the perfect bridge between thermal and electric engines. While they have a lot of detractors, some seeing it as just a small step towards greener mobility, drivers today seem very inclined to make the transition to hybrid vehicles.