Do hybrid engines wear out faster

CarBuzz

Hybrid cars are becoming increasingly popular, and they can be an excellent intermediate step for those who want to explore electrification without buying a fully electric vehicle yet. With several types of hybrid car available, from mild hybrid to plug-in hybrid, there is a wide variety of choices available no matter what your lifestyle and driving needs.

But what are the pros and cons of hybrids? When does a hybrid suit your lifestyle, and when is it simply unnecessary? To answer these questions, we first need to understand the basics of hybrids.

Types of Hybrid Vehicles

There are three main varieties of hybrid cars currently available on the market:

• Mild hybrid cars are the newest type of hybrid on the market and are rapidly gaining in popularity due to the fact that many cars you don't think of as hybrids use this type of powertrain. The BMW M340i, for example, supports its inline six with mild hybrid propulsion. Their main source of power is their traditional internal combustion engine. The electric motor (which has a battery charged via regenerative braking and does not need plugging in) exclusively serves the purpose of improving fuel economy by assisting in pulling away from a standstill, coasting, and using the 48-volt hybrid system to power ancillaries (air-con, infotainment, etc) and remove this load from the combustion engine. A mild hybrid vehicle is as close as you can get to a traditional ICE car while still enjoying the improved fuel economy of a hybrid, so you get the best of both worlds.
• Full (self-charging) hybrids also use regenerative braking to charge the electric motor, but unlike a mild hybrid, they can drive for a short distance on electric power alone, which makes them an ideal candidate for a prospective buyer with a short, city-based commute. The regular Toyota Prius is an example of this type of hybrid.
• Plug-in hybrids, as their name suggests, can be plugged into an external electric power source and charged to function as a hybrid, but they can also utilize regenerative braking, coasting, and charging via ICE. Thanks to their larger battery, they have the ability to utilize for full-electric-mode driving.

Some Pros And Cons Of Hybrids

Like any other type of vehicle, hybrid cars also have some drawbacks; despite being hyped as the optimal choice to future-proof your garage, a hybrid car may not be well suited for everyone. Here are some pros and cons of hybrid vehicles that will help you decide on your next purchase:

PRO: Better Fuel Economy and Lower Running Costs

The first thing that comes to mind when thinking about the advantages of choosing a hybrid car is fuel savings. With fuel costs rising, for many prospective car buyers, having a fuel-efficient vehicle is high on the list of priorities. Thanks to the presence of the battery providing better fuel efficiency than you'd normally find in traditional gas-powered cars, a self-charging hybrid (such as the Toyota Corolla Hybrid) can easily achieve 50 mpg, and a plug-in hybrid (such as the Hyundai Tucson PHEV) can push that figure up to 80 MPGe. This is especially true if you have a short, city-based commute at low speeds since many hybrid vehicles are capable of fully electric driving for shorter trips, making your car even more fuel-efficient overall.

CON: More Expensive Up-Front Than Traditional, Gas-Powered Cars

The running and fueling costs of a hybrid vehicle may be lower than those of a conventional car, but there almost definitely will be a higher upfront cost. Even a used hybrid car will typically cost more than its internal combustion engine-only counterparts, thanks to the high cost of the rare metals needed for battery technology. Thankfully, this higher upfront cost will likely be offset after a few years of ownership since you'll save money in the long run when it comes to fuel and maintenance.

This will change as hybrid cars proliferate automakers' lineups as the default option, and like all technology, the more widely it becomes available, the more affordable it becomes.

PRO: Avoid EV Range Anxiety

The range anxiety issue that typically plagues electric car users is eliminated when driving a hybrid vehicle: no matter what your driving habits, from work commutes to long-distance road trips, you can always rely on being able to fill up your car with gas as you would do with conventional cars. Plug-in hybrids even give you the best of both worlds. If you live within a short commute of work, you can easily live an EV lifestyle, relying only on gas when you aren't able to charge or need to drive long distances.

CON: Needs Both Charging and Refueling

Of course, when away from home, filling up at a gas station will get you from A to B in a pinch, but for everyday use, it is important not to neglect the charging aspect; if the battery in a plug-in hybrid is left uncharged, the benefit of higher fuel efficiency is negated, and the vehicle becomes a heavier, less efficient gas-powered car, often with hampered performance. This has become prevalent where buyers have bought PHEVs for the tax benefits and driven them around on gas power alone.

PRO: Well Suited to City Driving

If your driving habits typically involve short city journeys, then a hybrid could be the perfect choice for you: with its potential for all-electric driving, lower tailpipe emissions, and lower maintenance costs hybrids can make excellent city runabouts. At low speeds and with low throttle loads, the electric motors handle most of your propulsion needs. Combustion cars typically at their least efficient when idling and creeping in traffic, and it's in these circumstances that a hybrid excels, switching off the combustion engine and using its electric reserves.

CON: Less Effective on Long-Distance Journeys

Long-distance drivers, on the other hand, might struggle more with hybrid ownership. Hybrids are not always aimed at being more efficient at higher speeds, so their benefit at highway speeds is often entirely negated. We won't say they're worse than a non-hybrid, but the price you pay may not be rewarded if this is the type of driving you do the most.

PRO: Performance Benefits

Hybrids are traditionally seen as environmentally friendly, often assumed to mean reduced performance. However, the addition of electrical augmentation actually means the potential for enhanced performance. Electricity produces more efficient horsepower and greater torque than a combustion motor right from a single rpm. Electric motors can be used as torque-fill to mitigate turbo lag and enhance performance when the torque from a combustion motor is weak. The new Toyota Prus, for example, is as quick in a straight line as a GR86.

CON: Battery Life Expectancy

All batteries lose capacity and start to degrade with regular use, and the battery pack of a hybrid car is no exception: if you have owned your car for a few years or bought a used vehicle, you may start noticing the battery lasting less and less in between charges. Battery tech is getting better, and long manufacturer warranties do ensure replacement in most circumstances, but as more hybrids populate the used car market, this is still something to be aware of.

Outside of warranty, replacement batteries are notoriously expensive. The upside is that a hybrid can still operate as a normal gas car when the battery is no longer effective, meaning it isn't bricked entirely.

PRO: Less Maintenance Needed

Battery replacements aside, hybrid cars may require less day-to-day maintenance than conventional vehicles: in a car with a regenerative braking system, the brake pads will usually wear down at a lower rate, requiring less frequent replacement. The engines often strain less, too, and runs less per 100 miles when electric driving is a factor, again reducing wear.

CON: Higher Repair Costs

The routine maintenance of a hybrid car is slightly different from that of a conventional ICE-only vehicle, and not all mechanics specialize in hybrid cars. While typical maintenance of the engine remains unchanged, and the battery and electric motors don't require a lot of maintenance in general, when something goes wrong with the hybrid systems, a regular mechanic may not be able to do what needs to be done. In these instances, higher repair costs due to specialist workshops are a reality, or at least workshops where mechanics have undergone hybrid-specific training.

PRO: Lower Emissions

And lastly, onto the environmental aspect: with the aid of electric power and more efficient fuel consumption, hybrids will almost always produce lower tailpipe emissions than exclusively gas-powered cars, so if emissions are an important factor to you, a hybrid car might just be the right choice.

CON: Still Uses Gas

Whether you're an electric evangelist or a combustion die-hard, the science is impossible to refute that an electric vehicle is a far more efficient means of propulsion than burning gasoline to power the wheels. While there is no such thing as a zero-emissions vehicle, hybrid vehicles get closer to that mark. Still, they are not as efficient as electric cars, and for some people, the concept of still using gas is a big no. However, because of their smaller batteries, an argument could be made that they have a lesser environmental impact at a supply chain level.

Yeah, we'll admit this isn't the strongest con out there, but for some, any gas at all is a negative.

How Long Do Hybrid Cars Last?

In a world where sustainability and efficiency are becoming increasingly vital, hybrid cars have become a popular choice for environmentally conscious drivers. Whether youre considering purchasing a hybrid or are already navigating the roads with one, you probably have questions: Do hybrid engines last longer? Do hybrid cars last longer than their conventional counterparts?

We can answer those questions and more. Learn everything you need to know about the longevity of hybrid cars from what factors affect their lifespan to how they stack up against conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.

Do Hybrids Last Longer Than Regular Cars?

They certainly can! When you combine the combustion engine and electric motor, synergy happens. You can think of synergy as 1+1=3, and in this case, combustion engine + electric motor equals longevity.

By incorporating both a combustion engine and electric motor(s), hybrid cars are able to distribute their workload efficiently. Often, this results in less wear and tear on both the conventional engine and the electric motors.

When adding regenerative braking into the mix, battery pack range can also become extended. Ultimately, this means that when properly maintained hybrid cars can offer a durability that rivals, and in some cases, exceeds that of traditional ICE vehicles. In short, a properly maintained vehicle will almost always outlast a poorly maintained one.

How Many Miles Can a Hybrid Car Last?

But how long do hybrids last, really? Many manufacturers expect their hybrid vehicle high-voltage battery packs to last somewhere between 8 years or 100,000 miles. If you think that sounds like a broad span, youre absolutely right. That average lifespan is still influenced by early hybrids, which were produced when battery pack longevity was less than stellar. But with advancements in battery technology, its not uncommon to see some hybrids last 200,000 miles or more.

According to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), we drive 13,476 miles per year on average. So, if your hybrid lasted 200,000 miles, you could get nearly 15 years out of it! With that said, proper maintenance is the best way to keep your hybrid on the road for as long as possible. Dont believe us? Check out our post on what can happen if you ignore your manufacturers suggested maintenance schedule. Spoiler alert: its not good news!

Wear and Tear on Hybrid Vehicles

You might think that driving a hybrid means less maintenance after all, your cooling systems may not have to work as hard, your oil might last longer, and your brake pads shouldnt wear as quickly, thanks to regenerative braking. But time takes its toll on everything, so hybrid components like these still need to be maintained:

Battery Pack

Since your battery pack provides your hybrids electric motors with power, it can experience a significant amount of wear. With time and use, your battery packs capacity to hold a charge may decline especially in exceptionally cold or hot conditions. Overcharging or frequently draining your battery to low levels and not allowing it to recharge can also reduce its capacity over time.

However, even with normal use, hybrid battery packs typically hold up well and in the case that they don't, you can rest easy knowing that many manufacturers warranty their battery packs for about 10 years or 150,000 miles.

Engine

Everything wears out over time. So as a hybrid owner, your combustion engine is still susceptible to the same degradation that engines in traditional vehicles undergo spark plugs and fluids can still wear down, and seals can stop sealing. Overheating can still lead to failure, and contaminants in your gasoline can still clog fuel injectors.

The good news is that since hybrid vehicles balance the load between your combustion engine and electric motors, your engine will probably experience these problems less frequently than one in a conventional vehicle.

Tires

Unfortunately, the tires on hybrid vehicles can wear down faster than those of traditional vehicles. This can happen for a couple of reasons:

• Weight Distribution: Hybrid and fully electric vehicles (EVs) have to store their large, heavy battery packs somewhere. The added weight from the battery pack can cause quicker tire wear.
• Nearly Instant Acceleration: Unlike traditional engines, electric motors typically dont have a wind-up time. Instead, they produce torque nearly instantly. This instant torque can increase tire wear.

Fortunately, specialized hybrid and EV tires can resolve many of these issues. Constructed with stiffer sidewalls and hardier rubber compounds, EV-specific tires can typically withstand the extra weight and torque of hybrid vehicles.

Keep Your Hybrid Healthy with Firestone Complete Auto Care

At the end of the day, hybrids have proven to be durable. However, like any vehicle, their systems require proper maintenance.

To ensure your hybrid stays on the road for years to come, youll want to stay on top of your manufacturer-suggested maintenance schedule. Thats where your local Firestone Complete Auto Care comes in. We can regularly change your oil, rotate your tires, inspect your brakes, and even help you follow the proper battery charging procedure. Schedule your appointment today!