EV Curious? Quick Guide to EV types
HEV, PHEV, BEV, oh, my!
Electric vehicles are widely available today and you should probably consider one for your next vehicle. But what kind? When people think of EVs, they often think of what is technically a BEV, a battery electric vehicle. Certainly BEVs are the ones in the news a lot and also the ones that cause the most controversy.
But there are actually three different types of electric vehicles and the one to consider depends greatly on your needs. They are: Hybrid EV (HEV), Partial Hybrid EV (PHEV) and Battery EV (BEV).
I know there are many out there that don’t consider the hybrid options to be true EVs, but the reality is that they are an effective stepping stone. The hybrid options are not nearly as efficient as BEVs, but they can be much more efficient than what you currently drive and can also be cheaper to purchase than a pure BEV.
Now let’s talk about the differences!
HEV: Hybrid Electric Vehicle
The most common type of EV you see on the road today is the HEV. The hybrid electric vehicle was first popularized by the Toyota Prius, which sort of became an EV punchline as its original versions were slow and rather ugly (the current model is rather stylish, however).
Today there are lots of vehicles available as HEVs and some, such as the 2025 Toyota Camry, are only available in HEV form. Hybrids are no longer slow or ugly. Often they have more power than an equivalent gas vehicle and are also frequently indistinguishable from one.
A HEV has a battery, electric motor and a gas engine. The battery is quite small, often around 1kWh or so, and is kept charged by the gas engine or by regenerative braking. You essentially use a HEV just as you would a gas vehicle. It does not need to be plugged in to charge and you fuel it with gas.
The big benefit you get with an HEV is that it is much more efficient than a gas vehicle. For example, the 2024 4-cylinder Camry gets about 29MPG combined per the EPA. The 2025 Camry, only available as a 4-cylinder HEV, gets about 47MG, a substantial improvement.
It is easy to transition from a gas vehicle to an HEV and with the additional efficiency comes additional range, usually 500 miles or more.
There are two primary downsides to an HEV. First is that they cost more than a standard gas vehicle, however that cost difference is going down as HEVs become more common. And depending on where you live and your local gas prices, you could make up the difference on gas savings alone. The other issue is that an HEV is slightly more complicated than a gas vehicle since it has the additional battery and electric motor components. Realistically, those require almost no maintenance so this is not much of a concern.
HEVs are able to power the car at low speeds for a short while using just the battery and electric motor. This depends on the model, of course. Some might only be able to do parking-lot speeds, while others might work in stop and go traffic.
By combining a gas engine with a battery it can have the benefits of both, which are long range and greater fuel efficiency. The downside is that it retains the complexity and maintenance that any gas engine requires. The smaller battery could also wear out sooner, depending on use, but it’s also very small so would not cost much to replace if necessary (likely less than any larger engine repair).
HEVs are typically the least expensive type of EV.
PHEV: Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle
A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle is a hybrid with a much larger battery that you can plug in to charge, but also still can run on gas. Because of this larger battery a PHEV can power the car for normal driving over short distances (usually about 20-50 miles) on battery alone. A PHEV still has a gas engine, but only uses it when the battery runs out of charge. The gas engine can also charge the battery, although usually that is somewhat slow due to the battery’s larger size.
A PHEV can be great for commuting around town as you will likely only ever use the battery and electric motor and thus almost no gas. But when you want to go on a road trip, you can rely on the gas engine for convenience.
Some PHEV such as the Chevy Volt and BMW i3 used their gas engine to only charge the battery and never to power the wheels. Both of those models are no longer made and it doesn’t look to me like this design is all that common now.
Since a PHEV runs on both gas an electricity it has two “fuel” doors, one for gas and another for its electrical hookup. Since a PHEV has a somewhat small battery, at least compared to a BEV, it can often be charged using a standard home outlet with no special wiring needed.
By charging your PHEV at home, you may never need to use a gas station in your hometown!
A PHEV does have its downsides as well. It will cost even more than a HEV, of course, primarily due to the larger battery. And if you mostly drive on the highway, you may find that a HEV is a better value since the bigger battery in the PHEV may not benefit you as much.
BEV: Battery Electric Vehicle
The term EV is frequently used as shorthand for BEV, so this is often the one people are actually referring to when they are discussing EVs in general.
A BEV is all-electric and does not have a gas engine at all, thus a BEV is also the one that generates the most amount of controversy.
A BEV is much more efficient than the equivalent gas vehicle and has all the advantages and disadvantages that you’ve heard about. Big advantages are that it is inexpensive to operate, silent and fast with very little maintenance required. However the maximum range might leave you uncomfortable. Most BEVs these days have ranges between 250 to 350 miles, depending on weather and driving style (highway vs. city).
People also like to complain that battery replacements are expensive, but that that is just a scare tactic at this point. BEV batteries are warrantied for 8 to 10 years and are expected to last much longer than that. They will usually outlive the car itself. Plus, EV batteries can be recycled for other purposes.
BEV efficiency is somewhat the opposite of a gas vehicle as BEVs are more efficient in lower-speed driving and less efficient at highway speeds.
For best results with a BEV you really want to be able to charge at home. Charging at public DC fast chargers is more expensive and far less convenient. In fact, if you are not able to easily charge at your home, you might want to consider an HEV or PHEV instead as owning a BEV might be less convenient than you might be comfortable with.
People often have two big concerns when considering a BEV: its range and how easy it will be to recharge. Those are both important and you need to consider how you drive to see if a BEV is right for you. For people able to charge at home, a BEV can be a great choice. You will save a lot of money on gas and by charging at home each night, you will essentially always start the next day with a “full tank”. You also never again have to stand out in the cold or rain to waiting pump gas. Instead you plug it in and let it charge overnight, sort of like you do with your phone!
If you regularly drive long distances in one day (250+ miles), you may find the shorter range to be an issue, but that depends on where you are driving. If there are available DC chargers, then stopping to charge is usually painless. But you may find you have to plan routes more carefully and if that’s something you’d rather not be bothered with, then a HEV or PHEV is better for you. Also keep in mind that a BEV can work as a wonderful second vehicle if you already have a gas or hybrid vehicle.
A pure BEV can also be more expensive to purchase than the others here, but that is changing rapidly. In the last year alone, BEV prices have dropped significantly and are now approaching the price of gas vehicles. Plus, at least for now, there are also often tax credits (federal and local) that can help reduce the effective price of the car.
One huge benefit is the driving feel. A BEV has smooth, linear, quiet and fast acceleration that is unlike any gas vehicle you’ve ever driven. Once you get used to it, it is hard to go back. Plus, BEVs are also relatively silent on the road, which is also something that you quickly get used to.
Another feature that is appearing on more and more BEVs is the ability to use the vehicle’s battery to power other things, including a house in a power outage. Since BEVs have such large batteries (often 60 to 100 kWh), they can run a home for several days from the car battery. This is much better than a gas generator that is noisy, smelly and needs refilling every few hours. If the outage is lengthy, you can drive the car to a charging station to fill it back up.
A BEV won’t work for everyone, of course. Those that are extremely rural areas with unreliable electricity are probably not good candidates for one. And if you can’t easily charge at home, I’d hold off on a BEV until you’re sure there is adequate public charging infrastructure in your area.
Which Should You Get?
Range anxiety is a common phrase that you hear people bring up when talking about EVs. But as you can see, HEV and PHEV have no issues with range and in fact have much further range than a standard gas vehicle.
When it comes to range, you need to consider your driving habits. If you can charge at home and rarely drive hundreds of miles on a single trip, you may find that a BEV is perfect for you. And if you already have a gas vehicle, a BEV can make a wonderful second vehicle.