Ahhh. Electric Vehicles (EVs). They’re an old technology getting (very high-tech) upgrades because now, the world needs it: Vehicles that don’t destroy the planet by emitting harmful greenhouse gasses (GHGs). With the idea of going green becoming more and more relevant, it’s no surprise that the Malaysian government is putting their effort towards this cause. But as Malaysia’s source of electricity is still heavily reliant on the burning of fossil fuels, getting an electric car today, right now, this very instant – is not going to save the world! Why, you ask? Read more about this little conundrum in the previous article about EVs: https://www.toc.edu.my/news-event/2018/electric-cars-all-you-need-to-know

Now, if you’re all caught up with EVs, let’s jump into why Hybrid cars are a safe and smart option as well as a good alternative to EVs.

But first, a few definitions and the tech involved:

EV: Electric Vehicle! We know this one, easy peasy.

HEV: Hybrid Electric Vehicle. Okay, that was easy too.

PHEV: Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle. Wait, what?

Okay, so HEVs are a combination of an EV and an internal combustion engine vehicle a.k.a. our normal, petrol guzzling, carbon dioxide emitting cars. Unlike EVs, HEVs can’t be plugged in to get charged. They run on petrol. But they have an electric drive system and engine which helps reduce fuel usage in a number of ways: needing to restart when the car is on idle or powering the AC or even power the car for further acceleration. 

A PHEV is a Plug-in HEV. I bet you know where this is going; it’s driving power can come from either petrol or electricity! Basically, petrol will supplement the running of the car once the battery has run out of charge during longer journeys.

Tada, both provide increased fuel economy!

The history!

While EVs are all the rage, it was HEVs that re-started this electric revolution after it all but disappeared in the 1900s (yeah, that’s when the first electric car was invented! It was also when gasoline-powered cars become more practical, unfortunately).

In 1997, Japan, the world’s first mass-produced hybrid electric vehicle was put on the market and oh, did it spark a revolution.

Why this instead of that?

With the Malaysian electric grid still reliant on the burning of fossil fuels, thus the continued release of harmful gasses into the atmosphere, going fully electric will just be redundant. But Malaysia’s working on making sustainable and renewable energy sources a thing! Did you know Malaysia goes head to head against USA, Italy, Finland and others, coming in the top 10 list for most registered vehicles per person? Going by these numbers alone, we can say we’re contributing to a not-so-green future. 

We want to be part of the change, though. Right? Plus, I’m sure everyone wants to save cash. Going hybrid will allow us to take a step forward – towards a cheaper and more sustainable future.