This is the opposite of what we’re accustomed to with conventional vehicles. In fact, hybrids’ emissions are up to a third lower than comparable nonhybrids, according to CR’s calculations.Īlthough hybrids are more efficient overall than their gas-only counterparts, you can expect to see higher fuel economy in city driving (where the electric motor has more of an impact) than on long highway stretches at higher speeds. “Hybrids are so fuel-efficient because they utilize energy that would otherwise be wasted,” says Jake Fisher, senior director of CR’s Auto Test Center. By comparison, a regular car’s brakes just create friction that turns into unusable heat.īy supplementing the engine with an electric motor, the gas engine doesn’t need to be as big in order to achieve an overall combined horsepower rating that’s comparable to a gas-only car, which further increases efficiency. That electricity is also used to recharge the battery. Hybrids are also equipped with regenerative brakes that capture momentum to create electricity as the car slows down or coasts. There’s no need to plug the car in, because the gas engine recharges the car’s battery. Hybrids can drive on electric power alone for short distances, but often the engine and motor(s) operate together. The electric motor drives the car at low speeds (typically up to 30 mph, depending on how much charge the battery has) or under low power demands, while the gas engine kicks in at higher speeds where it’s more efficient and makes most of its power, or when you need to accelerate quickly or climb hills. Hybrids combine a gasoline engine, an electric motor, and a battery pack.

If you’re considering buying a hybrid-or just wondering how they work-we’ve got you covered. In addition, hybrid owners tell us that they really like their vehicles: In CR’s Annual Auto Surveys, they tend to report higher overall satisfaction than do owners of nonhybrid versions. Many outperform their nonhybrid counterparts in CR’s road tests and do well in our reliability rankings as well. Today’s hybrids come in all shapes and sizes, from compact hatchbacks to three-row SUVs. That makes them a good choice for drivers who want to save fuel without going 100 percent electric.

Unlike fully electric vehicles, hybrids give off some tailpipe emissions, but they don’t need to be plugged in. In addition, through their braking systems, hybrids can “recycle” kinetic energy that otherwise would have been wasted. In simple terms, the answer is yes to both-hybrids combine a gas engine, a battery, and an electric motor to get the benefits of both gas and electric propulsion. At Consumer Reports, we often get asked if a hybrid car is gas or electric.

Plug in hybrid vehicles