South African motorists interested in buying a new energy vehicle for substantial fuel savings should avoid so-called “mild hybrid” cars.
True hybrids boast a higher voltage battery with much bigger capacity that is connected directly to the power train. The batteries can also be recharged through regenerative braking, which puts energy back into the battery by running the electric motor in reverse.Ford Ranger plug-in hybridWith a conventional hybrid, this is typically only possible at low speeds over shorter distances, while plug-in hybrids often have an all-electric range between 50km and 100km.A “mild hybrid” cannot drive its wheels solely on electric power — it always requires the conventional engine.
He also slammed companies like Mazda and Maserati for attempting to obfuscate the “mild” aspect of the technology. In the model selection pane, it calls the variant the 1.5 GLX 6AT Hybrid AllGrip, once again with no mention of “mild”. Toyota — which sells true traditional hybrids in South Africa and recently introduced two “mild hybrid” options — is a bit less aggressive in its use of the latter term.