I GET THIS question a lot from people intending to buy a car: Which is better, this model or that? Recently, the questions have focused whether a car browser is best served by an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle or an electrified vehicle (xEV). Sometimes it gets drilled down even more. Is a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) better than a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) or a battery electric vehicle (BEV)?
Choosing a car is no longer as straightforward as it used to be. The adage of “all else being equal” no longer applies due to the proliferation of new drivetrains. Before, the default was ICE (fed by gas or diesel) and we chose from all-wheel drive, four-wheel drive or front-wheel drive.
I was taught that answering a question with another question is not polite. In this case, though, it cannot be helped. I tend to reply to the above questions thus: Is it going to be your daily drive? What is your daily drive like?
It is hard to give a non-contextualized answer, really, at the risk of sounding presumptuous, arrogant, or even ignorant. People buy a car that fits their needs. That is a universal truth, at least as far as primary cars are concerned. Additional cars can enjoy the liberty of being chosen as a trophy car, a dream car, a hobby car or some more emotionally motivated purchase other than for sheer reason or purpose. And while external factors — environmental considerations, mainly — have supposedly sounded the death knell on ICE and fossil fuels, these have resulted to the advent of alternative energy mobility. And by the way, I think news of the demise of the ICE is greatly exaggerated.
ELECTRIFICATION FOR THE ENVIRONMENTThese days, mobility solutions are diversifying to align with rising environmental demands. Prior to the introduction of new energy technologies, the auto industry’s response to calls for more environmentally friendly motoring was to improve the fuel efficiency and tailpipe emissions of ICE vehicles. Due to numerous and stricter government policies, automakers were forced to explore other ways to meet tightening regulations. Enter the electrified vehicle.
Toyota chose very early on to actively heed the dangers of rising greenhouse gas emissions. In the early nineties, it launched a program called “G21” that focused on building a car for the 21st century that would achieve twice the fuel efficiency of conventional cars at the time. The Prius HEV was the first outcome of their efforts.
But even then, as Toyota was devoting significant resources to the development of HEV technology, the brand’s leadership already recognized that the road toward environmentally friendly motoring was not to be found in a single solution. A multi-path road map that included more fuel-efficient ICE models, PHEV, BEV, and fuel-cell vehicles (FCV) was already laid out. In fact, I recall that Toyota made several of its HEV patents available for use by other car makers to encourage scale. Toyota had also initially ventured into the development and manufacturing of EVs together with Tesla during its nascent years — via the RAV4 EV. In the end, this didn’t work out. Toyota even joined efforts to develop a hydrogen society with the end-goal of using water to fuel cars.
As a result of its jump-start in the ’90s, Toyota has since sold over 20 million electrified vehicles, mainly its HEV models. Though not the most recent number, Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) reports in its website that in over two decades since the launch of the Prius, Toyota has reduced CO2 emissions by 160 million tons globally. It also reports that, over the same period, it has saved 65 million kiloliters of gasoline — enough to power 10 million homes in one year or nearly two million trips to the moon and back.
This is even as other car makers are only just starting in their own paths to carbon neutrality. It is really encouraging to hear other auto manufacturers embrace the multi-pathway approach to future mobility because, in the end, the introduction of xEVs is not really the goal. The ultimate objective is to help win the battle for carbon neutrality through any technology possible.
I seem to have digressed, though. So, which is better?
I cannot provide a wholly scientific and data-driven answer, but I am guided by current realities on Philippine roads and my practical experience as a car owner. When auto firms introduce a vehicle, they are obliged to provide potential buyers not only with the latest technology models and ensure that these models are convenient to operate, easy to maintain, and are fully supported in case of repair. So it is not enough that we choose cars based on design, brand value, aggressive discounts or the bells and whistles that come with it — most especially if these are our daily (and only) drivers.
WHEN TO CHOOSE ELECTRICIf you drive fixed routes based on relatively set schedules, on known terrain and under predictable driving conditions, you are likely a candidate for xEVs. The choice of HEV, PHEV or BEV depends on your charging circumstances. Do you have your own garage where you can use a home charger? Alternatively, do you live near a commercial charging station, or can you charge while you are at the office? If your answer is yes to any of the three options, then you can consider a PHEV or BEV. It helps you contribute to the achievement of carbon neutrality (arguably), reduce operating costs, and minimize maintenance expenses (also arguably). Having strong after-sales support is essential to maximize the use of your car and assure a better resale value.
HEVs are a highly effective choice for those who cannot be assured of easy-charging solutions. An HEV features self-charging technology, so you are not shackled to charging stations and you are not stressed about range. This is true, too, if your routes are more varied, if your mobility needs require more flexibility, if your driving conditions and terrain are less predictable, or if you travel relatively long distances of say 80 kilometers to 100 kilometers a day, the usual range for PHEVs with a fully charged battery.
BEVs usually claim mileage of 400 kilometers to 600 kilometers on a full charge. Yes, that brings a degree of confidence that you can get to your destinations even if you missed being able to recharge your vehicle to full. But just like mobile phones, we rest easier if we carry a full charge — even if we know that a full charge is more than enough to carry us through our normal day. In fact, we always carry our charger — or a power bank — so we are ever ready to juice up, if at all. We never know if or when we might get one phone call too many or watch one video too many, causing our battery to drain faster than usual. Similarly, if charging stations are not yet as readily available, we will fret if we get caught in heavy rain or if traffic grinds to a standstill. Surely our “what-if” scenarios might be getting ahead of us, but this is human nature. I imagine we can manage our range anxieties better as we get more used to using BEVs.
Also, cars are supposed to be available to use on-demand, as and when and where needed. In case of emergencies — a sudden need to head out on a date, an impulsive out-of-town trip with the kids or some such unplanned travel — it would be the worst thing that your car is still charging or needs charging. If you have more than one car, this should not be a problem. Otherwise, it could be a very real consideration.
So, one model or technology is not really better or worse. It either meets your mobility circumstances or not; is relevant to your lifestyle or not. We are and always will be the product of the choices we make, so we must choose wisely.