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    The Electric Cars, Plug-Ins and Hybrids Handbook
    The Electric Cars, Plug-Ins and Hybrids Handbook
    The Electric Cars, Plug-Ins and Hybrids Handbook
    Ebook121 pages3 hours

    The Electric Cars, Plug-Ins and Hybrids Handbook

    By Augustin Stucker

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    About this ebook

    6th Edition January 2020 - An invaluable guide for anyone considering the purchase of a hybrid, plug-in hybrid or electric vehicle. Newly updated with reviews and information on all the latest 2020 models, including the Tesla Model 3, Jaguar I-Pace and Audi E-Tron. Enormous confusion and hype surrounds the world of hybrids and EVs. Over 85% of consumers admit to not knowing the difference between a "standard" internal combustion engine vehicle and a hybrid, much less the difference between a hybrid, a plug-in hybrid or an electric vehicle (EV). With this handbook you will learn all the secrets of owning a hybrid or EV. Discover which models might best suit your driving style and needs. Learn how affordable they are and whether one is right for your driving needs.
    The best consumers are informed consumers. By the time you have gone through this book you will know more than 99% of all car salesmen about plug-in hybrids and EVs and the details of owning one. Whether you are interested in "going green" or just want to find out where you can best save money on the true cars of the future, this is hands-down the fastest and easiest route to become a fully informed consumer.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAugustin Stucker
    Release dateDec 14, 2015
    ISBN9781311714725
    The Electric Cars, Plug-Ins and Hybrids Handbook
    Author

    Augustin Stucker

    Born and raised in Oklahoma, graduate of Oklahoma State University (B.S. 1978), and a registered member of the Choctaw Nation. Author of several screen and stage plays, plus one other book, "Lincoln & Davis: A Dual Biography of America's Civil War Presidents" (check it out on www.lincolnanddavis.com). Married to Peggy Gohl Stucker for 25 years and counting, and currently residing in the Palm Springs area of California.

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      Book preview

      The Electric Cars, Plug-Ins and Hybrids Handbook - Augustin Stucker

      1

      THE ELECTRIC CARS, PLUG-INS AND HYBRIDS HANDBOOK

      The Secrets to Knowing if One is Right for You

      By

      Augustin Stucker

      January 2020 6th Edition

      © 2014

      Contents

      Introduction

      Chapter One – Hybrids: What They Are & How They Differ From Normal Vehicles

      Chapter Two – Plug-in Hybrids: EVs Minus Range Anxiety

      Chapter Three – EVs: Falling Restrictions Doesn’t Mean No Restrictions

      Chapter Four – Tesla Motors: The Apple Corporation of EVs

      Chapter Five – Fuel Cells: EVs of the Future?

      Chapter Six – Compliance Rules: Why EVs Are Not Available Everywhere

      Chapter Seven – Determining Which Hybrid or EV is Right for You

      Chapter Eight – Why MPG Estimates Almost Never Happen in the Real World –

      What You Can Do to Improve Your MPGs

      Chapter Nine – 2020 Cross-Model Hybrids and EVs

      Introduction

      Maybe you’ve been considering getting a hybrid or electric car. If so, you are not alone. They are growing in popularity. Over 100,000 electric cars (EVs) and plug-in hybrids were sold in every year since 2015, and that number is only increasing in 2020. They consistently make up approximately 1% of the total number of new vehicles sold in the United States over the last decade.

      EVs and hybrids are actually much more popular and widely accepted in Europe and Asia, especially in the major cities and metropolitan areas. Between the overall shorter driving distances and much higher gas prices, EVs and hybrids make much more financial sense in those locations than in some of the more wide-open spaces and extended driving distances here in the United States.

      Multiple reasons for Americans to consider owning a hybrid or EV include:

      Saving money on hybrids with better fuel mileage over standard gas or diesel engine vehicles;

      Wanting to go green and be environmentally responsible;

      Having an EV means you never have to stop at a gas station again.

      The above reasons are valid. People who have made the leap and tried EVs are quickly addicted. In a recent survey of EV owners, 96% would buy or lease another EV when they’re in the market for a new vehicle.

      As a plug-in hybrid and EV owner myself (my wife drives a 2018 Honda Clarity Plug-in hybrid and I have a 2015 Nissan Leaf) I freely admit I would return to driving a normal gas engine vehicle only if no other option were available. I even get frustrated when driving the Clarity and it switches to gas engine hybrid mode once the batteries are exhausted, even though I’m also relieved to have the gas engine backup. And I’m not alone in that feeling. Multiple surveys show most EV owners experience the same annoyance. Once you’re enjoying life as an EV driver you just can’t envision going back.

      Some hybrid owners, most notably Toyota Prius drivers, are almost as fanatical. It is brand loyalty other manufacturers can only dream of achieving.

      The truth, however, is hybrids and EVs do not fit everybody’s desires and needs.

      So the big question is how do you know if a hybrid or EV is right for you?

      That is the purpose of this book. To let you in on all the secrets of owning a hybrid or EV. Helping you determine which models might best suit your driving style. Giving you the key to knowing their affordability, and whether they will or will not work for you.

      I have always believed the best consumers are informed consumers. By the time you have gone through this book, you will know more than 95% of all car salesmen about hybrids in general. You will know more than 99% of all car salesmen about plug-in hybrids and EVs and the details of owning one.

      Let’s get straight to the most important questions you probably have concerning hybrids and EVs.

      Can hybrids or EVs save you money? On many models, yes!

      When and how? It depends on a combination three factors: First, the better fuel mileage you get with a hybrid or EV. Second, the price difference between the base model and the cross-model hybrid or EV based on it. Third, the price of gasoline. You will find the equations using these factors to answer the when and how question in Chapter Seven.

      The average price difference between most cross-model hybrids and base models is $5,000. With all other operating and maintenance costs being equal, the better fuel mileage on hybrids is where you ideally save money.

      Do hybrids give you enough increased mileage to justify the price difference? In many cases, yes. On a few models, though, it is practically impossible to ever recoup the price difference.

      How far do you have to drive to make up the difference and start saving money? In Chapter Seven, Which Hybrid or EV is Right for You, you’ll find the tools to answer these questions. In addition, the mileage required to break-even is detailed on the all 2020 cross-model hybrids and EVs in Chapter Nine of this book.

      Before jumping to Chapter Seven or Nine though, other questions need answering.

      Which hybrid or EV fits your driving and lifestyle? How do you use your vehicle? Commuting solo to work or carpooling? How many miles a day/week/year do you normally drive? Do you need extra cargo or trunk space to carry heavy or bulky loads? Do you spend most of your drive time on freeways or city streets?

      All drivers should ask these questions before getting any vehicle, but they are especially important for people considering a hybrid or EV.

      Other questions you might have include:

      What is a hybrid? How is it different from a regular car?

      What’s the difference between a hybrid and a plug-in hybrid?

      What’s the difference between a hybrid, a plug-in hybrid, and an EV? How is fuel mileage calculated on plug-in hybrids and EVs? Can you really save money driving a plug-in hybrid or an EV?

      And, perhaps most important, how do you know if driving a hybrid, plug-in hybrid or EV is right for you?

      This book answers the confusing questions swirling around the hybrid and EV industry. It is intended for the general public and not niche markets. For instance, hypermilers (persons seeking to squeeze extreme mpg from every drop of fuel) are, for the most part, already committed hybrid and EV fans. Chapter Seven offers suggestions to help increase your mileage in any vehicle you drive. However, most this information will be old news to hypermilers.

      This book will not teach you how to get the best deal when buying a car. Lots of other books and articles already cover that topic.

      This book does not offer extensive driving reviews of any vehicles. However, hybrid and EV affordability, as well as brief reviews, can be found in the last chapter of this book.

      Performance car enthusiasts may believe this book is a waste of their time. Fans of Corvettes, Ferraris or muscle cars, are usually not interested in the admittedly generic driving experience of most hybrids. Be warned, though, if you stop reading now you’ll miss discovering more than one EV and plug-in hybrid which leaves your beloved traditional sports car eating their dust.

      For everybody else wanting to be part of the automotive technology of the future, let’s get started.

      Chapter One - Hybrids: What They Are & How They Differ From Normal Vehicles

      Hybrid vehicles have an internal combustion gasoline engine – the same as most passenger cars and trucks. Yes, you have to put gas in the fuel tank regularly, just as with a normal vehicle. Hopefully, not as often, though, as the hybrid should get better mileage than non-hybrid models.

      Hybrids differ from regular vehicles in having at least one electric motor powered by a separate battery pack. With a fully charged battery pack and at lower speeds – under 40 mph – hybrids can run from ¼ mile up to a couple of miles using just the electric motor. Under heavy acceleration, though, or when the battery pack has a low charge, the gas engine kicks in to provide the bulk of the power and recharge the batteries.

      The gas engine is the primary means to recharge the electric motor’s battery pack. In addition, all hybrids and EVs use a regenerative braking system. Ordinary vehicles convert the kinetic energy produced during braking into heat. The regenerative braking system converts the kinetic energy to electricity, which is routed back to recharge the battery pack.

      On most hybrids, the gas engine switches off when the vehicle is stationary – while sitting at a stop light or when stuck in stop-and-go traffic. The electric motor continues powering the vehicle under those conditions, saving gas and reducing emissions. When accelerating from a stop, or once you are clear of stop-and-go situations, the gas engine kicks in automatically as computer sensors recognize the need for gas engine power.

      Still, you should understand the gas engine remains the primary power source in all hybrids. The electric motor assists the gas engine while accelerating from a stop, climbing a hill, or when maintaining a steady speed on city streets or highways.

      Note that some hybrids are classified as mild hybrids. Mild hybrids have a small electric motor and battery pack incapable of propelling the vehicle any distance at all. Their sole purpose is to shut the gas engine off when stopped a few seconds or longer at a stoplight or when stuck in traffic. The gas engine starts again when you take your foot off the brake and press

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