Electric & Hybrid Car Repairs & Servicing

MHEVs improve gas mileage by using a modest 48V battery and electric motor to increase the efficiency of their internal combustion engine (ICE). Unlike a hybrid electric vehicle, an MHEV does not run solely on electric power, although the ICE can be shut off during braking, coasting, and stopping. In addition, even when the ICE is switched off, the electric motor can power non-essential features, such as air conditioning or seat heaters.

HEVs are the most common type of hybrid, and they have been around the longest, too. HEVs have two power drives: a fuel-based engine and an electric motor with a larger battery. When the car starts, it first rolls under electric power. Then, as soon as the vehicle achieves speed, the gas engine kicks in. An onboard computer system determines when electricity or gas should be used. Also, users do not plug in an HEV. Through a process known as “regenerative braking,” the car’s electric battery gets a little recharge every time the driver touches the brakes. The Toyota Prius is the most well-known HEV.

PHEVs split the difference between battery electric vehicles (BEVs, described below) and HEVs. Like BEVs, PHEVs have an electric motor that is recharged via an external plug. And like HEVs, they also have a fuel-based ICE. One big difference from HEVs is that a PHEV can travel a decent distance on electric power alone — about 20 to 30 miles — due to their increased battery size and ability to recharge from the grid. Examples of PHEVs include variants of the Toyota Corolla and RAV4, the Volvo XC40 and the BMW 3-Series.

BEVs are powered entirely by electricity, meaning a BEV has no ICE, no fuel tank and no exhaust pipe. Instead, it has one or more electric motors powered by a larger onboard battery. Users charge the battery via an external outlet. BEVs currently exist in several forms, including cars, buses, motorbikes and scooters, and even boats. The highest selling BEVs globally include the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y, the SAIC-GM-Wuling Hongguang Mini, the Nissan Note, the VW ID.3 and the Renault Zoe.