What Are the Disadvantages of a Hybrid Car?: It is surprising, but the concept of a hybrid car is as old as the car itself. The first one was established in 1899 by Lohner-Porsche. It contains an internal combustion engine customized to drive a generator that gives Porsche-designed wheel hub motors along with electrical energy.
However, as its evolution initiated, Semper Vivus hybrid capabilities disappeared. Ferdinand Porsche and Ludwig Lohner, the two people who designed the car, came up with some interesting revisions. By introducing smaller batteries and changing two 2.5-hp ICEs with a powerful 5.5-litre engine, the Semper Vivus became a more efficient car. These changes minimize the car’s weight, improve functions, and minimize its overall cost and complexity.
This mini history lesson regarding the hybrid car gave us the 1st solution to the question mentioned in the title. Added weight and complexity are the main cons of the hybrid car over identically engineered electric-powered cars.
Hybrid Car: An Overview
As defined, a hybrid car is a car given by an electric motor and an internal combustion engine. Depending on the hybrid type, a car with a hybrid system can forward using an electric motor, an internal combustion engine, or combining the two.
Types of Hybrid Propulsion Systems:
- Parallel Hybrid System:
In parallel hybrid systems, both an electric motor and an internal combustion engine power the wheels. Example is the Toyota Prius.
- Series Hybrid System:
In the hybrid system, the internal combustion engine’s main work is to recharge the battery, while the electric motors showcase the wheels. For example, the 2025 Ram 1500 Ramcharger.
- Plug-In Hybrid System:
In comparison to 2 types, the Plug-In Hybrid system uses a battery with far larger capacity. It provides recharging capability using a superior thing—like a standard household plug. Popular PHEVs contain the Toyota Prius Prime and the Toyota RAV4 Prime. Both PHEVs have the capacity to travel over 40 miles using the electric charge single before the gas-hybrid engine starts up. [What Are the Disadvantages of a Hybrid Car?]
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With development in battery technology, hybrid cars have contained a viable option to vehicles known by internal combustion engines. Now the cons of hybrid cars are still not preventable when looking at the larger picture. Instead of added weight and intricacies, hybrid cars can hide several other disadvantages.
Disadvantages of a Hybrid Car
Higher purchasing costs and complex hybrid tech
Due to their critical complexity, hybrid vehicles are more costly than their ICE counterparts. Additionally, all the technology that is commonly introduced in a conventional car, hybrid vehicles feature:
- electric motor(s)
- a large battery pack
- gear mechanisms that complement the requirements of transferring power from ICE and electric motors to the wheels
- substantial additional wiring
- an enhanced cooling system
- a considerably more complex central computer system.
Apart from increasing the overall purchasing cost, added tech in a hybrid car can affect maintenance costs. To be particular, the maintenance might end up being amazingly pricey if the hybrid system element commits any damage. Although car manufacturers provide comprehensive warranties for the hybrid parts, with coverage for 7 or more years, buying a used hybrid car still depicts a specific risk.
Weight
With the bigger hybrid battery comes extra weight, which pushes performance. A standard 12-volt car battery has 30 to 50 pounds of weight.
Example: Let’s suppose the 2024 Toyota RAV4, which offers a standard internal combustion engine vehicle, a hybrid, and a plug-in hybrid.
- The non-hybrid Toyota RAV4 XLE AWD weighs 3,515 pounds.
- The Toyota RAV4 Hybrid SE AWD weighs 3,775 pounds.
- And the Toyota RAV4 Prime SE AWD PHEV weighs 4,235 pounds.
Thus, the hybrid adds over 200 pounds, while the plug-in hybrid adds approx. 700 pounds. Although the overall curb weight is less than an observed-sized EV, it’s an extra weight that can affect braking, acceleration, and handling. [What Are the Disadvantages of a Hybrid Car?]
Performance
Including high-performance exceptions, for example, the McLaren P1, Honda NSX, or Porsche Panamera E-Hybrid Turbo S, hybrid cars are generally formed with 1 task in mind: rectifying fuel efficiency and lower C emissions. This generally puts the architects and engineers in a position to form each part of the hybrid car to meet these expectations. In the short term, hybrid vehicles don’t have too much friction in their tires, a more efficient air-conditioning system, a lower state of tune for the internal combustion engine, and a transmission minutely altered for grabbing the best possible fuel efficiency. With the larger mass, these solutions impact the overall vehicle functionality.
Battery Replacement Cost
Battery change is a common cost preference for a non-hybrid internal combustion engine vehicle. These 12-volt batteries typically cost $100 to $200, whereas replacement and installation of a new hybrid battery in a Toyota Prius can cost approximately $1,200. Happily, the battery is expected to last 8 to 10 years, or 100,000-150,000 miles, or much longer duration. In some of the cases, changing the damage can reach $6,000 outside of the warranty.
Longer Stopping Distances
The extra weight of a hybrid powertrain keeps more pressure on the vehicle’s brakes. Tests have shown that hybrid versions of vehicles generally have longer stopping distances as compared to non-hybrid counterparts. Part of this is because many hybrids use low-rolling resistance tires to keep weight and improve fuel economy. While these tires may show an advantage in miles, they can play a role in longer stopping distances. A workaround is to prefer fitting your hybrid with the same tires used on the non-hybrid variety. But this would maximize the cost of your hybrid.
Lack of Incentives
The hybrid price premium has lessened, so have federal incentives. Unless you are buying a PHEV, which may qualify for $3,750 to $7,500 in federal incentives, your hybrid will likely not come with any government incentives. Most of these programs are now reserved for EVs, which also contain fewer parts and thus less complications.
Fuel Economy on the Highway
Carnegie Mellon University in 2013 conducted a survey. Hybrids do not make a lot of sense if you come long highway driving stints. On a survey basis, hybrid cars driven on the open road do the same harm to the environment as conventionally powered vehicles.
Higher Insurance Rates
According to car insurance professionals, hybrid car insurance is $41 more expensive per month than the average . U.S. car insurance rate. Car insurance professionals find that the major reasons for maximizing car insurance for hybrid cars connect to the maximize selling price of the hybrid vehicles, the cost of complex hybrid technology onboard, and the nature of AV. hybrid car buyers. Hybrid car buyers live in urban areas with larger insurance rates. Also, rectifying damaged conventional vehicles is not as costly as hybrid cars’ repairs, which play a significant role in car insurance costs. [What Are the Disadvantages of a Hybrid Car?]
Diminished Hybrid Fuel Efficiency in Cold Weather
In chilled weather, hybrid batteries require more time to touch operating weather. The chemical reactions inside the batteries that release energy to the electric motor go to their peak functions much slower compared to batteries in hot, warm weather. At the same time, the internal combustion motor has to provide extra energy generated by the fuel combustion process, which is the major factor in maximising fuel consumption of hybrid vehicles in cold weather.
Conclusion
Modern hybrid vehicles have been on the road for the last 25 years and work decently in urban areas and hotter weather. And while their complement complexity and weight present an apparent downside, their larger fuel efficiency in urban driving situations and comprehensive warranty coverage can offset these cons.