Hybrid cars made their debut, in the UK, 20 years ago and yet you would still be in the majority of people who have never driven one. With legislation slowly cracking down on fuel emissions, some people are starting to wonder if now is the time to possibly switch to a hybrid. Here are a few things to help you figure out if a Hybrid is right for you…

There are two types of Hybrids, plug-in and range-extender. They basically are self-explanatory, the plug-ins need exactly that to charge the electric engine and during travel, if the battery runs out, the vehicle switches to the combustion engine. The range-extender uses the combustion engine to charge the electric battery when it runs low, instead of being used to drive the car, so you can travel further on electric power. Either way to save money and fuel, Hybrids are best suited to Urban environments or people who typically travel short distances on a daily basis.

Some key pros and cons:

Pros:
• Minimal tax bills
• Most qualify to be free of the congestion charge
• No fuel costs, if driven only on electric power

Cons:
• More expensive than most combustion engine vehicles
• Charging times
• Limited electric range