If you're considering the switch to a more eco-friendly car, understanding the jargon of the electric vehicle (EV) world can seem daunting. This might make it a challenge to explore your options, so we've put together a guide to help make it easier to understand and decipher all those EV terms and what each type has to offer.
Let's break down these acronyms
BEVs: Battery Electric Vehicles
These are fully electric vehicles that run solely on electricity. They don't have a traditional combustion engine, and instead rely entirely on electric power stored in batteries. Energy is recovered from the car braking and stored in the battery, a process called regenerative braking.1
HEVs: Hybrid Electric Vehicles
HEVs use a combination of two engines to run, using petrol or diesel to power the combustion engine alongside a battery or on-board electric motor. The combustion engine and regenerative braking both help re-charge the battery.1
PHEVs: Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles
PHEVs have both a petrol or diesel combustion engine and an electric motor and battery that can be plugged in to an external power source for charging.1
In summary, BEVs are fully electric, HEVs combine electric and combustion engines, and PHEVs offer flexibility by allowing both fueling and electric charging.1
What's the difference?
When making your choice, consider factors such as costs to run, driving habits, charging infrastructure, and your environmental priorities. Each type has its advantage, so choose the one that aligns best with your needs!
The environmental impact
BEVs
BEVs have significant environmental advantage. When used in New Zealand, they have 80% fewer CO2 emissions compared to equivalent petrol cars, thanks to New Zealand's high use of clean, renewable energy. Over their entire lifespan, BEVs still emit 60% less CO2 than their petrol counterparts.2
HEVs
HEVs produce fewer carbon emissions than fully petrol or diesel cars because they seamlessly switch to their electric engine when driving at a low speed (such as idling in traffic).1
PHEVs
PHEVs have a lower environmental impact compared to an equivalent petrol or diesel vehicle when driven mainly in EV mode. The option to plug in and charge the batteries contributes to their eco-friendliness.2
Charging
BEVs
BEVs are fully electric so need their batteries charged in order to work. Charging at home is the most convenient option and requires access to a dedicated charging unit or a 3-pin power socket.
If you're out on the road there's a selection of charging options available to you, from fast chargers on our highways to slower chargers at places like malls and supermarkets when you have more time on your hands to wait.3
Here's a handy tool to show you your closest charging station while you're out and about.
HEVs
HEVs use a combination of batteries that power one or more electric motors, and either petrol or diesel to operate. Unlike EVs, HEVs can't be plugged in to external electricity sources. Instead, they rely on regenerative braking (when the vehicle brakes or deaccelerates and that energy is then stored in the battery) and the internal combustion engine for charging.1
PHEVs
PHEVs offer the convenience of charging at home overnight or at any location with access to a power outlet. Like HEVs, PHEVs also use regenerative braking.1
Tower has introduced an additional feature to our RoadWise® roadside assistance optional benefit. If you run out of charge, we'll get you to a place where you can charge, so you can enjoy peace of mind while on the road.
Driving range
BEVs
Most new BEVs can easily drive a range of 300km. This range depends on the battery capacity (larger batteries offer more range), road conditions (flat roads are ideal to drive on), driving style, and outside temperatures.4
HEVs
HEVs are powered by switching between the petrol or diesel engine, and the electric motor and battery, so the driving range in electric mode will depend on how you are driving your vehicle.
Driving at a low speed or just coasting will allow the electric motor to kick in if the battery has charged up from regenerative braking. Once you speed up or accelerate your car will use your petrol engine.
You don't need to worry about the driving range or running out of battery as the battery recharges on the go using your engine.5
PHEVs
The driving range of a PHEV when only in EV mode varies quite a bit between models. You'll find some can only do 15-20km while the newer PHEVs can do 60km or more.1
Road User Charges (RUC)
If you have an electric vehicle, you'll need to buy and display a road user charges (RUC) licence from 1 April 2024.6
You can find information on what the costs are on the Waka Kotahi NZ website here.
Additional costs
BEVs
You will need to charge your BEV battery, which will increase your power bill or cost you at a charging station. Depending on your BEV model, it can cost around $11 per 100km to charge your BEV at home off-peak.3
If you need to fast charge your BEV while out and about, this can cost around $19 for 100km at a public fast charger.3
HEVs
HEVs are more fuel-efficient than their petrol counterparts so you'll save money on fuel in the long run.
PHEVs
Your power bill may increase, and you'll still need to pay for fuel, but you should see a long-term saving when compared to petrol or diesel-run cars. You'll also need to regularly service your PHEV and buy oil.
Insuring your electric vehicle
The cost of car insurance with Tower can vary as we use a risk-based pricing model. This considers things like they type of car you drive, your car's value, the cost to replace or fix parts, and where you live.
Read our brief guide to find out more about our car insurance pricing here.
Here at Tower, we have a range of cover from third party to comprehensive insurance, to suit your needs.
If you're an existing Tower customer and have bought a new electric vehicle, pop into My Tower to add this new policy. If you're new to Tower, get a quick car insurance quote here.
Still need more information?
Moving to an electric vehicle when you haven't owned one before can be daunting. With all the differences to a standard petrol or diesel driven car, you'll want to do your research.
If you need a little bit more information, check out the Genless website for further, easy-to-digest information about EVs, HEVs, and PHEVs.
The links we provide to third-party websites are for your convenience and do not constitute any endorsement or authorisation by us. The information provided on this page is general in nature and is not intended to be professional or legal advice. Tower does not accept any liability for the accuracy or content of information on this website that belongs to third parties or on any third-party website.
Sources
⁴ EV batteries and how far they can go
⁵ What are the benefits of a hybrid car?
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