Should you buy or lease an EV, Hybrid or ICE vehicle? I am going to go over some information about ICE vehicles, Hybrids, and electric vehicles (EV). With some basics about ICE vehicles to let you have some knowledge about how they work. Plus information on where you can find more information about buying/owning EVs and charging them.

Firstly I will discuss the differences between the types of motive power, that is engine/drivetrains available for sale today. Then I will talk a little about hybrids and totally electric vehicles. Next will be charging, Finally a look at what other information is available to you on the internet and any monetary incentives that are obtainable.

Let’s start with the three basic types of vehicles that are being sold today. The first is the good old gasoline powered one, also call ICE. Where ICE stands for internal combustion engine. This is more than likely the vehicle you now have. This also includes a vehicle with a diesel engine. If you have no interest in how an ICE engine works skip ahead two paragraphs.

The majority of modern vehicles use gasoline and their engines run the Otto Cycle. Basically a engine today is the 4 stroke variety. The cycle is as follows firstly air and fuel are drawn into the piston with the intake valve open and the exhaust one closed. Then the piston goes up with both the intake and exhaust valves closed. This compresses the fuel/air mixture. When the piston reaches it’s highest point in the cylinder the spark plug ignites the mixture causing an explosion which forces the piston downwards. This is called the power stroke. Finally the exhaust valve opens as the cylinder reaches it’s highest point again. This is called the exhaust stroke. And then the cycle repeats.

In a Diesel engine there is a glow plug which is the source used to initially cause the fuel to burn. The plug is turned off after the engine has started. No spark plugs are involved with this type of engine. While the cycle is similar to the Otto cycle it does differ in important ways. Only air is drawn in initially, then as the piston reaches it furthest upward position fuel is introduced via a high pressure injector. The fuel combusts sending the piston downward and upon reaching the most downward point of travel the exhaust valve then opens. The piston is now traveling upward expelling the burnt gases and the cycle repeats.

Now a newish type of vehicle is the Hybrid. A Hybrid vehicle has both an ICE and also an battery (electric) powertrain. There are variations on how it is done. So what I am going to do is this. Use this website, it is by the United States government and there you will find a fairly well done simple explanation of how they work. My take on Hybrids is that whether it is a Plugin type where the electric motor(s) batteries can be charged via a DC charger or a home charger or when the gasoline engine is running. Or the one where when the ICE is running it recharges the batteries. In either case both the ICE and electric motor(s) are both connected to a transmission that then transmits power to the drive wheels. The best example of a Hybrid is the Toyota Prius. The battery gets charged both from regenerative braking and when the ICE is being used. On a Plugin type Hybrid (PHEV) it too has it’s battery charged both from regenerative braking plus when the ICE is running, but it also can be charged just like a Electric Vehicle (EV) is at a charging station. To help you visualize how this actually works go watch this YouTube video.

Beware that that differences exist in that some of them can go fairly fast, say about 25 mph for a Prius on battery alone. While a Lexus RX 450h+ can do up to 83 mph and a Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid 157 mph. All on battery without the ICE running at all! Of course the range on battery will vary also. Go look that up on the make and model vehicle you want.

To further your research into Hybirds here is some YouTube channels that might help you. First here is a video that talks not only about Hybrids of all types, but EVs also. He goes into the money aspects of ownership too, The SAHD Life. And here is another one. Edmunds Cars, yes the one and only. Not only good information on Hybrids, but on cars in general.

Back when the Gas Crisis reared its ugly head Electric Vehicles (EV) reappeared. Yes, I said reappeared. Way back, about just before the dawn of the 20^th century there were three choices of self propelled vehicles. ICE, Steam or Electric cars were made for public consumption. Electric was king at first, but ICE eventually overcame its problems. Emerging as the preeminent form of motive power until the latter part of the 20^th century when EVs reappeared due to the gas crisis of the 1970s.

A number of factors should influence your decision as to which type of vehicle purchase is best for you. The weighting factors are as follows:

1. Do you have access to either Electric Vehicle DC charging stations nearby or can install a charger at your home? If the answer is Yes, then an EV might be a good choice. A No answer means that you should look either into a Hybrid or an ICE vehicle instead.

   Note that many manufacturers have deals where they will pay for either DC charging for a specified period of time or give you money to install a home charger. Some even might give you a home charger with your purchase of your EV.

2. Are you a long distance daily commuter or go on a lot of trips that are farther than the range of the EV your want to buy? A yes answer means that you must take into consideration the charging rate the vehicle has. Some will recharge at much higher rates than others. If you want only to be stuck at a DC charging station for twenty minutes or so. Only look at those ones that have a high charging rate.

3. Do you live in climate where it gets cold? The range of your EV or Hybrid battery drastically plummets as the temperature down. Forty degrees Fahrenheit is the typical point at which this happens. Just be aware of this when choosing an EV as it can cause you a big headache if you don’t take this into account when looking at the different models and their battery options.

4. If you do not access to either DC charging stations near you or can not charge at home. Then if you might want to look into a Hybrid.

   Please note that there are two different types. The more common one is where the engine charges the battery when it becomes too low to use. And the other is called a PHEV (Plug-in). In this type you either can charge the battery at a DC charging station or at home or just let the engine do it. The advantage of this type is that you will be using a lot less gasoline than a plain Hybrid if you charge the battery rather than using the engine to do that.

5. Now comes the kicker. Do you want an ICE vehicle because you can not charge at home or there are no DC Charging stations nearby? Or because buying gasoline for your vehicle is far easier in your opinion. Then go buy an ICE vehicle. It is what you want.

So at this point I hope you have made some headway in the decision making process. For those interested in EVs I suggest that you go to YouTube and listen to the following channels. Out of Spec Reviews a channel dedicated to EV testing. Kyle and his team are very informative. Next is State of Charge where Tom really explains the hows and whys of EV charging. These two channels I actively watch and found them well worth my time in doing so. Also, if you truly want to know more about EVs go to YouTube’s search bar and enter EV or electric car. There is a plethora of information about these vehicles.

For those who are into EVs and want to know where your local charging stations here is an online map of DC charging stations. There also is an app version which is named PlugShare. It is available both on Apple and Android. It is a really useful tool to have if you have an EV.

I must emphasis that doing your homework is a must before running out and buying an EV or even a Hybrid or PHEV. To not do so will be detrimental to your pocketbook in the long run. Remember that while Hybrid technology is better refined (in my humble opinion). EV technology is getting better and better every year.

To find the incentives available for your state go to here, this is a US government site run by the Department of Energy. There are others sites like this one from Kelley Blue Book. You can find more by using a search engine.

For those interested in deals for EVs. Try this website.

Well I know that this was just a toe dipping into the water article I hope you found it helpful. And remember every human invention has its pluses and minuses. EVs are still evolving. They are no longer in the infancy stage. Now they are in the adolescent stage and fast progressing into the teenage stage. Like the airplane new ways of storing energy, be it battery or otherwise, is progressing at a rapid pace. EV times are a changing.

Lastly I would highly recommend these guys who tell you about buying a vehicle, CarEdge. Listen to what they have to say, it might save you a lot of money!

As far as tax credits for EVs from the US government look here for the latest information. And for state credits and rebates information look here.

As a disclaimer, I have no affiliation with any of the recommended YouTube channels at all. I just watch them and found them useful. And that they will be of some help to you.

That is my opinion- Jumpin Jersey Mike

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