“Self-charging hybrids are the way forward you don’t have to plug them in” – We have heard this said so many times. A self-charging hybrid is just a rebranded Hybrid that has been made now for over 20 years. There is no difference in the technology, the hybrid charges the battery of the engine and some can recover energy from braking to be used later. However, all this is doing is slightly increasing the efficiency of the vehicle rather than making a big difference to the CO2 produced per mile. Image Source These hybrids differ from plugin hybrids or range-extending electric vehicles. Such as the Vauxhall ampera which can drive on full electric for 30-40 miles before the engine which can be used as a range extender starts to work. As the battery can be charged from the grid this gains a real advantage in reducing CO2. A good article about the “self-charging hybrid cons” can be found here
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