Do Hybrid Vehicles Require Less Gas Fuel?

In today’s market, you don’t have to look far to find a reliable hybrid vehicle. Every major car manufacturer offers at least one hybrid model, and hybrid cars account for just over 8% of all auto sales. In fact, over 5 million hybrid cars were sold over the past decade. You’ve probably seen hybrid vehicles being marketed as more fuel-efficient than traditional vehicles, but is it accurate?

Understanding Hybrid Technology

Hybrid vehicles typically use less fuel because they have batteries. But unlike all-electric vehicles, hybrid cars don’t run entirely on electric batteries. For hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), these batteries charge as you drive and provide power to the stereo and other low-power operations. This means your car’s gas goes further because it’s used primarily for driving and not other systems.

Plugin hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) rely more heavily on batteries than HEVs because you charge them when not in use. This means PHEVs can get even better mileage than HEVs, and you can use less gas on average.

Do Hybrids Always Use Less Fuel?

However, there are exceptions to this generalization. Because all hybrid vehicles still primarily rely on gas to drive, you’ll notice that the battery is better at saving gas during city driving at lower speeds. Highway driving still uses more gas than city driving, and there is less room for improvement because of its better mileage. If you do most of your driving on the highways, you may not notice as much savings as anticipated when driving a hybrid vehicle.

Still, you can maximize fuel efficiency in an HEV in multiple ways.

• Take the most direct route to your destination.
• Use electric mode as often as possible.
• Use the brakes early and gently to charge your electric battery.
• Enable Eco mode for fuel efficiency.
• Keep your speed constant without sudden speed increases or decreases.
• Turn off the engine rather than idling.
• Avoid using neutral in stop-and-go traffic.
• Ensure your plugin hybrid is fully charged to reduce reliance on fuel.
• Heat or cool your plugin hybrid while it’s charging before starting your journey to avoid using gas for these functions.

Maintenance and Longevity

Hybrids require much of the same maintenance as gas-powered vehicles. However, you can do a few things to prolong the life and boost the efficiency of the electric battery. To maintain the battery in your hybrid vehicle, avoid extreme temperatures that can quickly drain the battery in the short term and decrease its lifespan in the long term. Driving your car regularly rather than letting it sit and using low rolling resistance tires can also reduce battery strain and ultimately sustain fuel efficiency so that you can use less gas.

Many hybrid cars use less gas than their traditional counterparts, which also benefits the environment by decreasing our need for fossil fuels. Visit us at Beaver Toyota of Cumming to explore our wide selection of Toyota hybrid vehicles.