A Look at Hybrids, PHEVs, and Electric Vehicles

With a growing number of motorists interested in limiting their impact on the environment, it’s not a surprise that many drivers want to buy or lease a MINI hybrid. It’s also not a shock that the carmaker we represent has introduced all-electric MINI vehicles that seamlessly support the lifestyles of everyday motorists.

Hybrids, PHEVs, and Electric Vehicles Near Tampa, FL

Hybrid Cars

When they contact our MINI Cooper dealership serving Tampa, FL, some drivers ask us how hybrid cars differ from gas-only models. Hybrid vehicles are similar to gas-powered automobiles in the sense that they too have an internal combustion engine and fuel tank. These vehicles are different because they also have at least one electric motor and a battery pack.

A hybrid car can travel short distances using electricity alone. The car’s regenerative brakes supply power to recharge its battery pack when they’re used to slow or stop the automobile. When you need more power to pass a vehicle on the highway or when your battery pack is low, the vehicle’s engine will kick in.

Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles

Being a Wesley Chapel, FL MINI dealer, we can tell you that plug-in hybrid electric vehicles are similar to traditional hybrid automobiles because they also have hybridized powertrains. While PHEVS have regenerative brakes that recharge their battery packs, these cars don’t rely on them exclusively for recharging.

As we’ll explain when you contact or stop by MINI of Wesley Chapel, PHEVs also employ an external power source for charging. There are three types of external power sources that you can use to charge a PHEV or an all-electric automobile:

  • Level 1 chargers
  • Level 2 chargers
  • Level 3 or DC fast chargers

Electric Automobiles

If you look through the latest MINI models in our showroom, you’ll see some all-electric vehicles. EVs only consume electricity so they don’t need parts like engines that run on gas. Since they don’t consume fossil fuels, EVs don’t release any harmful emissions into the atmosphere.

Like hybrids and PHEVs, EVs have electric motors and a battery pack. The battery packs in EVs are larger, however, which gives these automobiles a longer driving range.

Are you ready to shrink the size of your carbon footprint with a MINI hybrid or EV? If so, we invite you to visit our MINI financing center to learn all about our current MINI lease deals and finance incentives for eco-friendly MINI cars. We look forward to having you as our guest soon!