Electric & Hybrid Vehicles

Best Autocentres have staff trained in the servicing and maintenance of Hybrid/Electric vehicles at all of our centres meaning you can trust us to repair, service or MOT your Hybrid / Electric vehicle in complete confidence. There is no premium for servicing an Electric Hybrid vehicle enter your details above to get a price or book it in.

All Electric (EV)

Electric vehicles have been in existance since the mid 19th Century but up until now the technology hasn’t been available to make them efficient. All-electric vehicles run on battery power alone and have no alternative drive source meaning they have zero emiisions making them better for the environment. With government purchase incentives, reduced road tax and no penalties in some low emission zones, they are more affordable now than ever. They do however still suffer from limited range and long charging times due to the requirement to be charged from an external power source.

Hybrid (HEV)

Hybrid Vehicles (HEV) are currently the most common and popular type of electric vehicle on the road. This is especially true in cities  where their fuel efficiency  can be an advantage. 
These vehicles are not purely electric and also have a petrol or diesel driven engine. A larger battery and a powerful motor provides  assistance to the engine and enables the vehicle to drive  short journeys at low speeds using just the electric motor. With its conventional engine, these vehicles have a vastly improved driving range compared to All Electric vehicles. This is due the vehicles abilty to be driven using both battery and the conventional engine. The battery in a Hybrid Vehicle is recharged by a combination of regenerative braking and by the engine, not from plugging into a mains power source.

Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV)

Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles (PHEV) have all the functionality of full Hybrid technology, with the added advantage that they can be charged from an external electricity supply. The larger capacity of the battery makes them capable of zero-emissions while taking short journeys, with the ability to switch to Hybrid mode to conserve battery life and to petrol or diesel only mode for longer journeys.

Mild Hybrid (MHEV)

The difference between a mild hybrid and a full hybrid is that the electric motor in a mild hybrid cannot  actually propel the vehicle on its own. The conventional petrol or diesel engine in a mild hybrid is what provides the drive and the electric motor serves only to assist. At low speed, or when stationary, the engine can switch itself off and the generator seamlessly restarts when needed. The separate  battery is automatically recharged by regenerative systems when braking or coasting. There is no requirement to recharge the battery from an external power source