Date published: 11/05/23 All content in this article is intended to be general in nature and does not constitute and is not intended to be financial or professional advice.

Consider this your go-to-guide for all things HEV and BEV, including maintenance and service costs, range, emissions and much, much more.

This breakdown explains the main differences between HEVs and BEVs.

There are four main types of EVs:

• Full hybrids (FHEV): these guys run on both an internal combustion engine and an electric motor that’s powered by a battery. In a FHEV, you can drive short distances on the electric power only, and then you’ll switch to the ICE when it conks out.
• Mild hybrids (MHEV): MHEVs are similar to FHEVs in that they are powered by both electricity and fuel, but the electric motor only assists the ICE when accelerating to save fuel.
• Plug in hybrids (PHEV): like FHEVs and MHEVs, a PHEV combines an ICE with an electric motor. But, they’ll generally have larger battery packs, and drivers have the choice of topping up with both electricity and fuel. PHEVs can run on either the ICE by itself, or the electric battery.
• Range extender hybrids (REX): a range extender is a secondary onboard power generator that charges the electric battery as you drive. It’s usually a small petrol powered engine.

Pros

• Fuel efficiency: Whatever type of hybrid you drive, having two power sources = less fuel = less $ every time you fill up.

• Environmental impact: less fuel also means less CO2 emissions.

• Less range anxiety: Having dual power sources creates peace of mind for hybrid drivers.

• Cost: Hybrids are a bit less exxy than BEVs, giving them wider appeal.

Cons

• You’ll still need fuel: HEVs are more fuel efficient than traditional gas-guzzlers, but you’ll still need to fork out some cash on fuel.

• Emissions: Hybrids produce less emissions than traditional cars, but unlike BEVs they’re not emission free.

• Repairs: Compared to traditional cars, hybrids can cost more to repair when things go wrong.

This means that BEVs don’t need an ICE. Because of this, they also tend to have way bigger batteries. And while this might mean they cost more, it does mean they’re going to take you much further on electricity than other EVs.

Pros

• No more fuel: There’s no fuel tank in a BEV, so you’ll never have to queue up or pay for petrol again. Yeet!

• Environmentally friendly: Not only does having no exhaust pipe look good, it’s also a reminder that you’re not producing any tailpipe emissions.

• Whisper quiet: Electric motors give you a much quieter ride (if you’re a rev head you might not like this!) …

• Storage space: Electric motors and batteries need a lot less space than fuel tanks and combustion engines, which means BEVs tend to have more storage space than traditional fuel cars and HEVs.

Cons

• No Plan B: BEVs are entirely electric, so if you run out of charge, you run out of options.

• Recharging: Petrol stations are everywhere (unless you run out of fuel – then they’re nowhere!?), but EV charging stations are still quite sparse. In Australia there are roughly 1580 regular AC charging locations, and 291 public fast charging locations, compared to well over 7000 traditional petrol stations.

1. Never buy fuel again

Just like taxes, petrol prices only ever seem to go up. (Cue. Eye. Roll.) Buying a BEV is your ticket to a fuel-free future.

2. Enjoy emission-free driving

Unlike ICE vehicles, BEVs have absolutely no emissions whatsoever. So owning a BEV lets you do your bit for the planet and gives you guilt-free driving feels.

3. Energy efficiency

BEVs convert roughly 80% of their energy into moving the car – which is four times the efficiency of traditional fuel vehicles. This kind of means you’re getting more bang for your buck when you charge your car with electricity compared to when you ICE car with fuel. About 12-30% of the energy put into a conventional car is used to actually move the car, and the rest of that energy is just lost.

1. Electric-only daily driving

PHEVs travel much further than full hybrids on all-electric charge. On average PHEVs travel 30-50kms before drawing on fuel – perfect if your daily driving falls within this range.

2. Accessible long-range driving

PHEVs have all-electric close-range driving, which means if you mostly travel shorter distances, you’ll be driving mostly be driving on just the electric battery. And then if you ever need to a longer distance drive, you have the option of using the fuel engine.

3. Home charging

A relatively small battery on PHEVs lets you get away with 120-volt home charging, so there’s no need to install DC charging hardware or queue up at fast charging stations. This means you won’t be spending big on an at home level 2 charging station.

Toyota RAV 4

As a hybrid veteran, it’s no surprise that Toyota makes one of the best hybrid SUVs on the market. The Rav4 was voted CarsGuide Car of the Year in 2019 despite competition from BMW, Volvo and Tesla, and rated highly for flexibility, safety, comfort and ultra-efficient hybrid tech.

Mercedes-Benz C-Class Hybrid

With an electric-only range of 100kms, you’ll spend most of your time driving this classy hybrid on electric charge. And when you need a bit more grunt there’s a turbocharged petrol engine just a button push away.

MG HS Plus EV Excite

This strong performing PHEV has an electric-only driving limit of 63km – more than enough range for your twice-daily iced-oat-milk-macchiato run. It also has combined fuel consumption of 1.7L/100km giving you lots of drive time on very little fuel.

After more than 25 years the Toyota Prius has been discontinued in Australia. And the Renault Zoe won’t be returning to our shores again anytime soon either But that doesn’t mean there aren’t some other ripper BEVs up for grabs.

2022 Tesla Model 3 RWD

Tesla has earned its cult status with this latest crowd pleaser. If you can afford a Tesla, you could check out the Model 3 RWD with up to 547kms range for the long-range model, and 0-100km/h acceleration in as little as 3.3 seconds. Teslas have that undeniably ‘cool’ factor about them too (#brandgoals).

Kia EV6

Kia’s EV6 is another strong EV option. It grips low to the ground for a sporty feel, has decent, acceleration, and ultra-fast charging will get you back on the road quick as you can say “I drive an EV”.

Squeezing every cent out of your new wheels? Here’s a summary of eligibility for financial incentives Australia-wide.

• Stamp duty exemptions and/or reductions
• Flat rate rebates and/or subsidies
• Interest-free loans
• Reduced car rego fees (or exemption periods)
• NSW also offer EV drivers special transit lane access (in T2 and T3 lanes).

Federal incentives for HEVs/PHEV drivers include:

• The luxury car threshold (LCT) tax for low-emission vehicles now kicks in at $84,916 (rather than the standard vehicle limit of $71,849).
• EVs priced below the LCT are now exempt from Fringe Benefit Tax. There are plans to scrap the 5% import tariff for new EVs priced below the LCT.
• This guide gives you a look at all federal, state and territory level incentives for low-emission vehicles.

This is general advice only and does not take into account your individual objectives, financial situation or needs (“your personal circumstances”). Before using this advice to decide whether to purchase a product, you should consider your personal circumstances and the relevant Product Disclosure Statement and Target Market Determinations available from rollininsurance.com.au. Insurance issued by Insurance Australia Limited ABN 11 000 016 722 AFSL 227681 trading as Rollin’ Insurance.