The hybrid car represents the ideal solution halfway between the 100% electric car and the thermal car. This type of vehicle makes it possible to benefit from a “clean” and autonomous motorization over a certain number of kilometres, and to be able to continue driving when the electric battery is discharged because a combustion engine takes over.
Like electric cars, hybrid vehicles, in any case rechargeable ones because there are non-rechargeable ones, must, in order to operate, be recharged either using a household socket or at a charging station called a “wallbox”. Which wallbox to choose for your hybrid car?
What is a hybrid car?
A hybrid vehicle works thanks to two types of motorization which complement each other. This type of car is composed on one side of a heat engine that runs on gasoline, diesel, or biofuel and, on the other side, of an engine that runs on a battery. electric like 100% electric vehicles.
This dual engine allows the vehicle, thanks to a specific technology, to switch from electric to the other type of engine depending on the driving phases.
There are two types of hybrid cars. Those called “non-rechargeable” (also called Hybrid Electric Vehicles or HEV) which recharge themselves, without having to use a charging station. These hybrid cars are recharged using kinetic energy, that is to say thanks to the movement of the vehicle. In this case, the electric motor of this hybrid car recharges itself by means of the rotation of the wheels when the vehicle brakes or slows down.
The other type of hybrid car, called Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV), is rechargeable. Like all 100% electric vehicles, its electric battery needs to be recharged using equipment outside the car itself, unlike the non-rechargeable hybrid vehicle.
A plug-in hybrid car has a range of around 50 kilometers with its electric battery. Once this is exhausted, the heat engine takes over.
How to charge a hybrid car?
The operation of a plug-in hybrid car is very similar to that of a fully electric vehicle. To be able to operate, its electric battery must be recharged manually.
At home, a hybrid vehicle can thus be recharged by plugging its electric battery into a simple household socket or a so-called “reinforced” socket. A solution, however, can be effective since it requires a relatively long time to recharge the vehicle and which, from a safety point of view, does not offer the maximum guarantees to avoid incidents, in particular linked to the overheating of the electrical circuit of the home.
The use of a charging station, whether it is a charging point made available in the public domain or equipment installed in one’s home, is by far, as for vehicles, 100% electric, the best solution for recharging your hybrid vehicle.
Charging stations for hybrid cars
Owners of electric and hybrid cars mainly choose to acquire a charging station, also called a wallbox, to have the possibility of charging at home.
A very comfortable solution that allows you, for example, to recharge your hybrid car at night in complete peace of mind. A wallbox is also much more efficient than a simple electrical outlet in terms of charging time, but also in terms of security.
This charging station is available on the market in different models which differ in particular according to their power, power which determines in particular the charging time. The greater the power of the wallbox, the less time it takes to recharge your hybrid car. For an individual, it is thus possible to acquire charging stations with a power of 7, 11 or 22 kW, the cost of which varies of course according to their power, from 700 to 1,500 euros, to which must be added the cost of installation by an approved professional, i.e. an average of 900 euros including material.
To note : by equipping themselves with a home charging station for their hybrid car, an individual can benefit from a tax credit equal to 75% of the amount of the expenses incurred and actually paid for the acquisition and installation of this charging point, up to a limit of 300 euros per charging station set up, as well as the ADVENIR bonus for individuals who live in a condominium.
The hybrid cars currently available on the market, unlike 100% electric vehicles, are not suitable for the most powerful charging stations, ie those over 7 kW.
Consequently, the financial investment to acquire a charging station for your hybrid car is limited compared to the equipment necessary to charge a 100% electric car, especially if you wish to acquire a powerful wallbox.
On average, the electric range of a hybrid car charged using a 7 kW charging station is, for 1 hour of charging, approximately 50 km for a city car and 25 km for a sedan. .