Gas vs Hybrid vs Plug-in vs Electric - What's The Difference?

Gasoline, Hybrid, Plug-In, and Electric. There are a lot of options available when buying a new car, but what’s the difference? Gas and diesel vehicles rely solely on a combustion engine to move the vehicle. Hybrids add a small battery and at least one electric motor to the mix. Plug-ins have larger batteries than standard hybrids, meaning you can start the car and drive for short distances on electric power only - great for daily commutes. For further distances, or when extra power is needed, the gas engine kicks on, giving you plenty of range. Fully electric cars ditch the engine completely, just using a large battery and electric motors, for the most efficient form of automotive transportation.

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[Flightcontrol]

I love my Chevy Volt. Being able to commute to and from work on electric power while having a gas engine for longer drives is awesome. The extra torque is pretty fun too. Shame GM killed it.

[Twester]

They all work well. Choose what works best for you and your region.

[haytham-da]

So basically:
Gas: 100% Gas 0% Electric
Hybrid: 75% Gas 25% Electric
Plug-in: 50% Gas 50% Electric
Electric: 0% Gas 100% Electric

[YourAlienPaul]

I can see the benefit to hybrids as the electric motor has better acceleration

[meganix]

Thanks for the video! I personally don’t see a strong use case for plug-in hybrids. If you need long range and want to avoid frequent charging stops, a traditional (non-plug-in) hybrid is the better choice. If efficiency is your priority and you’re comfortable charging regularly, an EV makes more sense.

For commuting, plug-in hybrids don’t offer a real advantage—while EVs are heavier due to their batteries, plug-in hybrids carry the added weight of a combustion engine, balancing things out. If you only take long trips a few times a year, a small or medium-battery EV is sufficient—stopping to charge occasionally won’t be a big deal.

For frequent long-distance driving where you want to minimize stops, a regular hybrid is still the better choice since plug-in hybrids don’t provide significant benefits on highways. And if you're okay with charging on longer trips, just opt for an EV with a medium or large battery.

In short, plug-in hybrids sit in an awkward middle ground, rarely being the best option for any particular use case—except perhaps for those hesitant to switch to an EV, even when it would actually suit their needs best. And yes, I do believe pure gas cars should eventually be phased out.

[JesusTorres-qrgz]

Híbrid give you the option in between gas and electric, very easy to get to a gas station but electric cars the electric power stations are very few around, very hard to be used for long drive.

[xamx]

You have gotten funnier as time has passed. Thank you for the added humor! 😂

[specialopsdave]

Most hybrids use the electric motor in power situations to make up for the lower horsepower from the extra-efficient engine, and it won't be faster off the line than the equivalent gas car, but it won't be slower either, for example my mom's 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid. It helps even more at high altitudes, like on Independence Pass in Colorado, where the gas engine in that car probably made 100 horsepower or less.

I was able to get an average 60mpg on a 65 mile, 55mph round-trip drive in that thing once, despite it's EPA rating being 40mpg, and real-world 75mph efficiency being 36mpg

[LightningSeen]

Even now there are variations on hybrids. To me, BYDs DM system is just ages ahead.

[roguemotors]

The ultimate blend should be a plugin hybrid vehicle with a vehicle to grid ( bidirectional)standard plugged into a Leeds rated home + powerwall

[jdmjesus]

While we're on, can we stop using the term 'self charging hybrid', as ALL hybrids are self charging, that's the point of them. Toyota, I'm looking at you.

[sufiyaanmujahid]

Ur explanation is really impressively clears all my doubt and understand the concept in more easier way. Thank you ❤, ur the only content creator in engineering to do this

[weseld]

My Mazda goes Vroom - your Tesla goes "Faart"

[Luz-heuo]

I’m not a car enthusiast but I do like to design and work on things and I can personally tell you that while you may just be able to buy one or pay someone to do something, nothing matches the pride of modifying your own car, because YOU put the effort into something you enjoy and now you get to enjoy something you worked on. In electric cars you can’t do that since they’re much simpler and there’s just less to do with them also maybe it’s just me but the noise and feeling of going fast just hits different in a gas car for me

[copethehagen]

I’ve been watching your channel for 10 years and love it. I’m a firefighter for LA city and we are having issues with the volatility of damaged lithium ion batteries. They have been tremendously more dangerous and explosive than gasoline engines and to extinguish them is a new hazard to us. They continue to reignite after extinguished for up to 5 days and are a full hazmat situation to dispose of. If you do any research on this please share it.

[lessardo]

Hybrid definitely makes the most sense. Big batteries are terrible for the environment and have way too many compromises and thus having a smaller battery and small engine gives you the best of both worlds

[Arya_Adarsh]

Plugin hybrids are the best of both worlds.
Your daily commutes will be pure electric, noise and pollution free, and you will still have the gas power to go long distance whenever needed while getting a great mileage of a hybrid.
Best plugin hybrid will be a car with 10-15 kw battery, and a small 1200 cc petrol engine.
Together they will be great to make everyone happy.

[lifeofjelllo]

the way you stared unfazed at the camera in the end

[Thecrowmotorsports]

Bro i was eating and started choking after that tesla exhaust sound😭🤣🤣🤣

[waysstopRC]

I'm driving a 2024 Toyota CHR PHEV. I love the range, and even without charging the battery, I can get 70 MPG.