With the price of gas and cost of living rising year after year, you may have considered buying an electric (EV) or hybrid vehicle to get around Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley for a fraction of the cost. But what are the differences between a full EV and a gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each?

Let’s start with hybrid vehicles.

Pros

They are more environmentally friendly than pure gas-powered vehicles.
They are cheaper than full EVs.
You can quickly refuel and take long road trips without range anxiety.
You will save significantly on gas.

Cons

They can be slower than both purely gas and electric powered vehicles.
They require more maintenance than an EV – since they also have gasoline engines, they will require the same maintenance as a gasoline car would, including oil changes and tune ups.
Just like EVs, they typically cost about 20% more than their gas-powered counterparts.

And now for EVs:

Pros
Over time, EVs generally require less maintenance. New tires and tire rotations are usually the only significant cost you will face for a while.
You will never have to buy gas again.
You are saving the environment.

Cons
You may eventually have to replace a battery, which can be expensive, and harmful to the environment.
Although you will no longer need to buy gas, you will have to buy more electricity to charge your car, as well as possibly installing a charging port at your house.
Much of our electricity is still generated by burning coal, which is still one of the most harmful things that we do to our environment.
Electric vehicles usually cost more than their gasoline-powered counterparts.
Electric vehicles usually have a much shorter range than gas-powered cars, and can take from several minutes to several hours to charge back up to a usable level – although both of these factors are being rapidly improved on.
Weather can affect your range significantly.

Now you know some of the pros and cons of both EVs and hybrids. Based on your needs, you should be able to determine which type of vehicle works better for you. If you only plan on driving around Pasadena and Los Angeles, and have a spot at home to charge an EV, then the longer refueling time and range anxiety may not be much of an issue, but if you frequently take long road trips, and need a vehicle that is ready to go in minutes after stopping at the gas station, then a hybrid might be the better choice. As always, if you need any maintenance or repairs, no matter what kind of vehicle you drive, come in to your Certified Auto Repair Specialist of Pasadena and we will be happy to help.