BEV, HEV, PHEV, and FCEV – What’s the difference?
When it comes to the car world, you'll find that there are a lot of acronyms hanging around. It can be confusing, but the best way to feel confident about purchasing, service, and repairs is to learn what they mean. Today we're talking BEV, HEV, PHEV, and FCEV - what are these terms, what do they mean, and how are they all differ from one another? Here's what our Orlando Toyota experts have to say about it.
BEV, HEC, PHEV, and FCEV explained
BEV, HEV, PHEV, and FCEV are all acronyms that refer to types of electric cars. Here's the breakdown:
What is a BEV?BEV stands for battery electric vehicle - this is the standard electric car that is becoming more and more common. They run on battery power alone - you never put gasoline in them and they don't have an internal combustion engine - and they need to be plugged in and charged up in order to run. An example of a BEV is the Toyota bz4X.
What is an HEV?HEV stands for a hybrid electric vehicle. These are your typical hybrid cars; they have the capacity to run on electric battery power for extremely short distances and at low speeds, but rely primarily on gasoline and internal combustion to power themselves. When it comes to hybrid vs EV (HEV vs BEV), the difference is that you do NOT have to plug a hybrid car in to charge it (the battery charges through regenerative braking). You DO need to put gasoline in it. An example of an HEV is the Toyota Prius.
What is a PHEV?PHEV stands for plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. They're different from hybrid cars - a PHEV vs hybrid car has a pretty large main difference. Plug-in hybrids have to be - drumroll - plugged in. They're similar to hybrid cars in that they can run off of battery power but still have an internal combustion engine and take gasoline. However, they can run for longer distances and at higher speeds on electric power than a traditional hybrid car. When they run out of electric range, they can revert back to hybrid performance and use gasoline to power themselves. These alternative fuel vehicles do need to be plugged in to charge. An example of a plug-in hybrid is the Toyota RAV4 Prime.
What is an FCEV?An FCEV is an alternative fuel car that's a little less common that an EV (electric vehicle). FCEV stands for fuel cell electric vehicle or a car that runs on hydrogen. They're not common in the US (there are very few hydrogen stations to fill up). However, Toyota does have one on the market - the Toyota Mirai.
Shop for your next EV or alternative fuel car at Toyota of Orlando
Still not sure which one is right for you? We've got your back - Toyota of Orlando's experts are here 7 days a week to help you choose. Call us with questions at (407) 298-4500 or stop by and see us in person at 3575 Vineland Road. We're open until 10pm every single night and we're conveniently located just off I-4 near the Millenia Mall!