A Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicle or MHEV is a car, or van, powered by a system that harvests and stores energy normally lost during vehicle deceleration and intelligently redeploys the energy to support the engine. MHEV’s tend to incorporate enhanced Stop Start technology that enables the engine to cut off while the vehicle decelerates to a stop, improving the vehicles fuel economy.
An MHEV offers a small amount of electrical assistance to the engine, but not enough for the car or van to run on electric power only. The system works by using power generated from driving or braking, capturing this energy in a battery to provide extra assistance to the vehicle.
MHEVs are less complex than other types of Hybrid vehicles, making them, in many cases, more affordable. They are also an easier introduction to living with an electric vehicle as there is no need to be plugged into a vehicle charging station regularly. Mild Hybrid vehicles don't differ much, in terms of driving experience, when compared to conventional models. They also use manual gearboxes, so they prove a good option for those who want to stick with a more traditional driving experience, whilst having less of an impact on the environment.
With that being said, a downside to mild hybrids is that they aren’t as environmentally friendly as Full Hybrids or Fully Electric Vehicles.
At Lookers we expect sales of MHEV cars and vans to continue to increase over the coming years, as they are a bridge between traditional fuel-based vehicles and Fully Electric or Plug-in Hybrid vehicles, while being more affordable.
Some of our favourites include the:
• Ford Puma Mild Hybrid
• Renault Arkana E-Tech Hybrid
• Kia Niro Mild Hybrid
• Renault Clio E-Tech Hybrid
