What is A self-Charging Electric Car?

We’ve already looked at how hybrid cars work, and the different types of hybrid cars that are available. One of these it’s what’s known as a self-charging hybrid, or a self-charging electric car. So, we thought we’d take a specific look at how a self-charging hybrids work.

As with all hybrid cars, self-charging hybrids have both an electric motor and a petrol or diesel engine to power the wheels. However, unlike a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) or an electric vehicle (EV), you don’t need to plug in a self-charging hybrid to charge its battery. As the name suggests, they self-charge.

Because of this, self-charging cars are a great option for people who are unable to charge their cars at home or work.

But how do they work? What are the benefits of owning one? And which hybrid would suit you best, a plug-in hybrid or a self-charging hybrid?

To help you decide, we’ve asked our EV experts to give us the lowdown on self-charging cars.

How Does a Self-Charging Car Work?

Just like other hybrid cars, self-charging hybrids use both an engine that runs on fuel and an electric motor to power their wheels. So, you still need to put fuel in the car, but it will also use electricity.

It’s worth noting that the term self-charging doesn’t mean that you can leave your car overnight and expect it to be fully charged in the morning. In fact, self-charging cars charge as you drive them. They do this by either using power from the engine or their regenerative braking system.

If you’re wondering what a regenerative braking system is, here’s a quick breakdown of how they work.

When you step on your brake, friction is created to slow the car down. This generates energy. A regenerative braking system takes this energy and uses it to recharge a car’s battery. So, after you brake and start to accelerate, the electric motor will kick in and help the car gain speed. This makes the petrol engine’s job easier and helps to improve the fuel economy of the car.

When there’s enough charge in the battery pack, most self-charging cars can pull away just using electricity. They can also travel for short distances at low speeds using no fuel at all. This is especially helpful in traffic jams, where you’re stopping and starting a lot.

For most of the time, and on longer journeys, the engine and the electric motor will be working together.

What Are The Benefits Of a self-charging Car?

Research has shown that 100%-electric cars are better for the environment than petrol and diesel cars. And, while they still need fuel, because hybrid cars also use electricity, they’re better for the environment than petrol and diesel cars too.

Another benefit of buying a self-charging hybrid is the fact that they’re perfect for short journeys at low speeds.

While getting stuck in city-centre traffic jams might be annoying for us, it’s great for self-charging hybrids. All of that stopping and starting means that they’ll use more electric power and less fuel. This not only means fuel savings for you, but also a quieter driving experience and less CO2 emissions in urban areas.

You can work out fuel savings based on your own usage in our handy fuel-cost comparison calculator at the bottom of this blog.

As well as saving on fuel, you’ll also save on the installation of a home charging unit, because you won’t need one.

And, because of their combination of engine and electric power, self-charging hybrids are great for towing caravans and trailers. Find out more about towing a caravan or trailer with an electric car.