Hybrid cars are on everyone's lips these days. $20, $30, $40 or even $50 for a tank of gas? Who in their right mind really wants to pay that sort of money? But, frustrated, the fuel customer sighs, but pays up. However, hybrid vehicles are being applauded for the little amount of petrol they need to operate, and they are being driven off the lots of car dealerships each and everyday in ever increasing numbers.

However, what about a plug-in hybrid? Most drivers have heard that these vehicles are fantastic as well. Then, a person might be asking him or herself, what exactly a plug-in hybrid is? How they work, and what the difference between a plug-in hybrid and a regular hybrid is?

Plug-in hybrids are capable of running solely on batteries, but they can run on petrol also. These kinds of hybrid cars share some of the features of hybrid vehicles. They are also very similar to all-electric vehicles.

Plug-in hybrid cars must be charged externally by plugging them into an electrical power source. The combustion engine of plug-in hybrid vehicles is engaged only as a back up. These cars can run only on batteries if desired, but it is expected that these types of hybrid cars be plugged in daily.

Hybrid cars travel just as many miles as a conventional car. Designed to go the extra mile where gas-mileage is concerned, hybrids can be driven on the highway, in cities, or wherever else a person wants to travel.

On the other hand, plug-in hybrids are designed to be driven commuter-length distances, meaning between twenty and sixty miles between destinations. This way, the plug-in hybrid does not have to use its back up combustion engine, but plug-in hybrids can go further using gas as well.

Hybrids help to minimize pollution, but they still pollute the atmosphere. Compared with plug-in hybrids, hybrid cars still have a long way to go as far as pollution is concerned. Since plug-in hybrid cars can run solely on their battery power, they don't have to emit waste gases at all.

Plug-in hybrids really do fight against greenhouse gas emissions and plug-in hybrids use virtually no oil, imported or not. Studies have shown that electric hybrids emit at least 67% less greenhouse gases compared with diesel cars. Since the product used to power plug-in hybrids is completely renewable, the difference in greenhouse gas emissions may be even greater than the study determined.

So there you have it - those are the main differences between plug-in hybrids and regular hybrid cars. It could make a big difference, but you would be surprised at how little it actually matters at the moment, but tht's only because plug-in hybrids are not being sold to consumers yet! But this article should make you enthusiastic about the wonderful plug-in hybrid car, coming soon to a dealership near you.

And it's going to be a great debut too, since people already like the current hybrid car models, but they haven't seen anything yet until they see the new plug-in hybrid cars. However, for now, maybe we should just be happy with what we already have, because who knows? Before plug-in hybrid cars are brought out onto the forecourts, something even better might be introduced onto the market.