World
Edmunds: The pros and cons of buying a hybrid vehicle or plug-in hybrid
If you’re ready to move on from a purely gasoline-fueled vehicle but you’re not ready to go fully electric, you have two choices. You can get a hybrid or a plug-in hybrid vehicle. But which one is best? The experts at Edmunds will help you decide.
Hybrid Pros and Cons
A hybrid electric vehicle has a gasoline engine, a small electric motor, and a small battery pack that work together to improve fuel economy, enhance performance, or both. The best-known hybrid is the Toyota Prius, but they come in all shapes and sizes. From compact cars to full-size pickup trucks, there is a hybrid for just about anyone.
Pros
Improves fuel economy while reducing emissions
Sometimes improves acceleration and overall performance
Often provides electric-only driving at low speeds for short distances
Usually doesn’t reduce passenger or cargo space
Never needs to be plugged in
Small increase in price, if any
Reduced fueling costs
Cons
Cannot travel long distances solely on electricity
Cannot travel at higher speeds only on electricity
Overall, a hybrid electric vehicle is a great choice for anyone who wants better fuel economy, reduced emissions, and lower operating costs without any extra hassle or change in their daily routine. Hybrids are more commonly available than ever, and some automakers are rolling out new models only with hybrid powertrains. For example, every version of the 2025 Toyota Camry is a hybrid, and Honda offers certain versions of the Accord, Civic and CR-V only with hybrid power. Hybrid versions of many other popular models, such as the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson SUVs, are also available.
Plug-in Hybrid Pros and Cons
A plug-in hybrid vehicle, often abbreviated as PHEV, is a hybrid that offers electric-only driving for a short range and can then be plugged in to recharge. They have a gasoline engine like a hybrid does, but thanks to a larger and more powerful electric motor and battery pack, they can travel at a wider range of speeds in electric mode, for many miles at a time. When the battery charge gets low, the gas engine turns on to continue the trip. You can recharge a plug-in hybrid using a household electrical outlet or a home or public charging station.
Pros
Electric-only driving for commuting, taking the kids to school, running errands, etc.
Gas-only driving for longer trips
Can charge the battery overnight using a household-style outlet or in a few hours using a more powerful charging station
The gas engine automatically takes over to power the vehicle when the battery charge is low
Can dramatically improve fuel economy, acceleration, and overall performance while reducing operating costs
Certain models may qualify for a federal tax credit of up to $7,500
May qualify for carpool lane access in certain states with only a driver aboard
Cons
A plug-in typically costs substantially more than a hybrid or gas-only vehicle
Plugging in each night can seem like a hassle
The larger electric motor and battery may reduce passenger or cargo space
The added weight of plug-in hybrid components can negatively affect the ride and handling
If you don’t make a habit of plugging in, it may be less efficient than a hybrid
Plug-in hybrids are perfect for people who want an electric vehicle but worry about driving range, public EV charging infrastructure, and the costs of installing a home charging station. They’re easy to recharge overnight, usually offer enough electric range for typical daily driving, and have a gas engine that eliminates the range anxiety common with driving an EV.
For example, you can drive a plug-in hybrid from Manhattan to Santa Monica and never plug it in. Or when you’re not taking a longer trip, you can plug a plug-in hybrid in every night and hardly burn any gas in everyday driving, especially if you choose a model with a generous electric-only range.
In short, a plug-in hybrid represents the best of both worlds, a perfect bridge from the gasoline past to the electric future. Examples of plug-in hybrids highly rated by Edmunds include the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, Hyundai Tucson Plug-in Hybrid, Toyota Prius Prime and Volvo XC60 Recharge.
Edmunds Says
Choosing between a hybrid vehicle and a plug-in hybrid vehicle comes down to three things. First, do you want the ability to drive only on electricity? Second, are you willing to pay more for a vehicle in order to get that? Third, are you willing to put up with some extra hassle to maximize electric-only driving?
If your answers to those questions are “no” and your only goal is to save money at the fuel pump, we recommend a hybrid. But if you want to eliminate as much gasoline use as possible without diving into the deep end of the electric vehicle ownership pool, a plug-in hybrid is perfect.
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This story was provided to The Associated Press by the automotive website Edmunds.
Christian Wardlaw is a contributor at Edmunds.
World
Pilot killed after crashing helicopter on roof of Australian hotel during unauthorized flight
A helicopter pilot was killed and others were injured early Monday after the pilot crashed a helicopter onto the roof of an Australian hotel during an unauthorized flight, authorities said.
The New Zealand Herald identified the pilot as 23-year-old Blake Wilson of New Zealand.
The aviation company Nautilus Aviation confirmed to news outlets that Wilson was one of its employees but had not flown in Australia before.
AUSTRALIAN B-GIRL’S FATHER-IN-LAW TAKES SWIPE AT JUDGES OVER OLYMPIC BREAKING SCORE
The company said he was a member of its ground crew and held a helicopter pilot’s license in New Zealand but was not authorized to fly the company’s helicopters in Australia.
The man had worked at Nautilus Aviation for four months and had recently been promoted to a ground crew job at another of the company’s bases, Nautilus Aviation said. Before the crash, the man had attended a social event with colleagues to mark his departure for the new position, the company said.
The flight was unauthorized and the helicopter “misappropriated,” the company added.
PILOT, 35, IDENTIFIED FROM BRAZIL PLANE THAT SPIRALED OUT OF SKY AND CRASHED, KILLING 62
The crash early Monday morning prompted the evacuation of hundreds of people from the building as flames engulfed the aircraft.
A couple staying at the hotel was hospitalized for smoke inhalation, and the two have since been discharged, Queensland Police Service Acting Chief Superintendent Shane Holmes told reporters. No one else on the ground was hurt.
Cairns Airport CEO Richard Barker said initial findings of a review Monday showed “no compromise of the airport security program or processes.”
The airport operated under “a federally approved, multi-layered transport security program,” Barker said.
The crash took place in a busy tourist district of Cairns, a tropical city of 150,000 people in far north Queensland, where it is peak season for holidaymakers.
Witnesses told local news outlets the crash sounded like a bomb exploding.
Smoke billowed and flames rose from the roof of the DoubleTree Hilton, and one of the helicopter’s rotor blades landed in the hotel pool, the Australian broadcaster ABC reported.
The hotel remains cordoned off while its structural integrity is being examined.
Fox News Digital has contacted Nautilus Aviation and Queensland police for updates.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
World
German army base near Cologne closed off over possible sabotage
Some 5,500 employees at the base near the Cologne-Bonn airport were told not to drink the tap water because of possible contamination, according to reports.
A German military base near Cologne has been closed off on Wednesday after suspicions arose its water supply had been tampered with in an act of sabotage.
The Cologne-Wahn base, which employs around 5,500 people, including some 1,200 civilians, was alerted after damage to its fence was found in a remote part of its perimeter.
The employees at the base were told not to drink the tap water because of possible contamination and samples have been taken for analysis, domestic press is reporting. Army barracks have been cordoned off and can’t be entered or exited.
The base, in close proximity to the Cologne-Bonn airport and the town of Porz, hosts Bundeswehr’s Air Transport Wing, which is in charge of the aircraft used by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz when travelling abroad.
Law enforcement and military intelligence are investigating the possible sabotage.
Euronews has reached out to the German Defence Ministry for comment.
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