Mild hybrid vehicles are a brilliant way of introducing yourself to electrified driving. These models are not plugged in or charged, but they do feature a small electric motor that assists the engine, in order to improve efficiency when driving at low speed or when stationary. The separate battery is automatically recharged using the energy usually lost when braking.

In short, hybrid vehicles use two sources of power - a traditional petrol/diesel engine and an electric battery and motor. They can automatically switch between conventional mode, pure electric mode (for short distances) or use both to power the vehicle as needed. The battery is charged by recovering energy that would otherwise be wasted, and feeds this energy to the electric motor to help with acceleration or even driving the car at low speeds. No plugging in required!

Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles (PHEV) have all the functionality of full hybrid technology, with a larger high voltage battery and the added advantage that, as the name suggests, they can be charged from an external electricity supply. The larger battery capacity makes them capable of zero-emissions driving for certain distances - perfect for city commutes! And, of course, for those longer distance escapades, you have the petrol/diesel engine ready and waiting.

All-electric vehicles run on electricity alone - no petrol/diesel and no emissions on the road! EVs are therefore much better for the environment and are also kind on your finances, with cheaper ‘fuel’, government purchase incentives, and free travel in Clean Air Zones and London’s Congestion Zone. To charge your vehicle up, simply plug it in using a home-charging system or a public charging station.