Recently, hybrid cars have become increasingly popular because they are considered more fuel efficient and environmentally friendly. However, many people are still curious: do hybrid cars need to be charged using a charger? The answer is not as simple as "yes" or "no," because there are several types of hybrid cars that need to be understood first.

Types of Hybrid Cars

Before delving deeper into charging, it’s important to know that there are several types of hybrid cars, each with different operating mechanisms:

• Full Hybrid (HEV). This type uses a combination of a gasoline engine and an electric motor. The difference is that the electric motor doesn’t need to be charged externally because it automatically charges while the car is moving or braking. Therefore, HEVs don’t require an external charger.
• Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV). This is the type that does require a charger! Because its battery is larger and can be recharged via an electrical outlet. This allows the vehicle to run longer on electric power before eventually switching to the gasoline engine.
• Mild Hybrid (MHEV). This type uses an electric motor to assist with acceleration, and its battery automatically recharges. Therefore, this type of vehicle also does not require an external charger.

Why Do Some Need Charging?

PHEVs are designed to allow users to use electric power more frequently and save fuel. For short trips, PHEVs can run entirely on electric power. However, because of this, PHEV batteries need to be recharged from an external outlet.

Typically, PHEVs can be recharged at home using a standard electrical outlet or at public charging stations, which are now increasingly available in major cities.

What Happens If It’s Not Recharged?

If a PHEV isn’t recharged, the vehicle will automatically switch to the gasoline engine once the battery runs out. This means fuel consumption becomes less efficient and emissions may increase. So, does a hybrid vehicle need to be recharged every day? The answer depends on how frequently the vehicle is used in electric mode.

Which One Is Suitable?

If the car is frequently used for short daily trips, a PHEV can be a good choice as it is more fuel-efficient when using electric power. However, if it is often used for long distances or there is no access to a charger, HEVs and MHEVs are more practical.  

In summary, when purchasing a hybrid vehicle, it is not just about fuel efficiency but also understanding whether the hybrid vehicle requires recharging or not, depending on its type.

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Belakangan ini, mobil hybrid semakin diminati karena dianggap lebih irit bahan bakar dan lebih ramah lingkungan. Tapi banyak yang masih penasaran: sebenarnya mobil hybrid perlu dicas pakai charger nggak sih? Jawabannya nggak sesimpel “ya” atau “tidak”, karena ada beberapa tipe mobil hybrid yang harus dipahami terlebih dahulu.

Jenis Mobil Hybrid

Sebelum membahas lebih jauh soal pengisian daya, penting banget tahu dulu ada beberapa jenis mobil hybrid yang masing-masing cara kerjanya berbeda:

• Full Hybrid (HEV). Tipe ini pakai kombinasi mesin bensin dan motor listrik. Bedanya, motor listriknya nggak perlu dicas dari luar karena otomatis terisi saat mobil jalan atau saat ngerem. Jadi, HEV nggak butuh charger eksternal.
• Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV). Nah, ini yang memang butuh charger! Soalnya baterainya lebih besar dan bisa diisi ulang lewat colokan listrik. Biar mobil bisa lebih lama jalan pakai tenaga listrik sebelum akhirnya balik ke mesin bensin.
• Mild Hybrid (MHEV). Tipe ini motor listriknya cuma bantu akselerasi, dan baterainya otomatis terisi ulang. Jadi, mobil jenis ini juga nggak butuh charger eksternal.

Kenapa Ada yang Perlu Dicas?

PHEV sengaja dirancang supaya pengguna bisa lebih sering pakai tenaga listrik dan lebih hemat bensin. Buat perjalanan dekat, PHEV bisa jalan full pakai tenaga listrik. Tapi karena itu, baterai PHEV butuh dicas dari colokan eksternal.

Biasanya, ngecas PHEV bisa di rumah pakai colokan listrik biasa atau di stasiun pengisian kendaraan listrik umum (SPKLU) yang sekarang makin banyak tersebar di kota besar.

Apa yang Terjadi Kalau Tidak Dicas?

Kalau PHEV tidak dicas, mobil bakal otomatis balik ke mesin bensin begitu baterainya habis. Artinya, konsumsi bahan bakar jadi lebih boros dan emisi bisa naik. Jadi, apakah mobil hybrid harus dicas setiap hari? Jawabannya tergantung seberapa sering mobilnya dipakai dalam mode listrik.

Mana yang Cocok?

Kalau mobilnya sering dipakai buat jarak dekat sehari-hari, PHEV bisa jadi pilihan oke karena bisa lebih hemat pakai tenaga listrik. Tapi kalau sering dipakai jarak jauh atau belum ada akses ke charger, HEV dan MHEV lebih praktis.

Intinya, saat mau beli mobil hybrid, bukan cuma soal irit bensin atau tidaknya, tapi juga harus tahu apakah mobil hybrid itu perlu dicas atau tidak, sesuai jenisnya.