What you need to know about hybrid cars

GOVERNMENT | VEHICLES | HYBRID

The spike in fuel prices and the plan by the government to pivot toward electric vehicles have pushed a section of Ugandans into considering the idea, the nearest alternative being hybrid vehicles.

That’s for the simple fact that since we lack the infrastructure for fully electric vehicles, hybrids use batteries and petrol/diesel.

However, they also come with unique problems. Nelson Ssenyange, a mechanic based in Naalya, said hybrids here are early by more than a decade.

He argues that a hybrid Volkswagen Touareg, for example, has over 60 batteries, making a total of Sh34m, and the inverter costs $2,800 (over Sh10m).

He adds that for a hybrid, once a motorist buys one with a mileage of 50,000 km, they should only add 50,000 km more and expect battery failure anytime. At 100,000 km, a hybrid car starts calling for the replacement of some parts.

Ssenyange says he worked on one that needed a wiring harness of $2,800 (about Sh10m) and a battery pack of $6,600 (Sh25m), and its inverter, in case it becomes faulty, costs $3,400 (about sh13m). Hybrid cars come with complications because it is a technology that is still evolving, unlike petrol and diesel cars, which have been around for over a century and therefore had the benefit of improvement with time.

A 2016 Model Hybrid Suzuki Swift. (Photo by Ahmad Muto)

However, Saeed Bilali Lali, who has sold a few hybrid cars, says they have a long life like traditional combustion engine cars as long as the battery is taken care of. He puts the average useful life of a hybrid car battery at 200,000 km.

Everything with the hybrid is the battery. The battery of a fully hybrid car is useful for up to 200,000 km. It does not mean the engine dies, you just have to replace the battery,” he explains.

At the time we spoke, they had just imported a 2016 model hybrid Suzuki Swift with a mileage of 116,116km, selling at sh36m. He said with a full tank of fuel, it was driven from Mombasa, Kenya to the bond in Nakawa, Kampala because it kept switching between the engine and battery.

Hybrids, the first step towards sustainable mobility, are still very delicate and call for frequent servicing and replacement of parts.

At long mileage, a hybrid vehicle's battery will become weak and therefore give low highway mileage. This is because of the constant charging and discharging and the switching between the battery and the engine.

The oxygen sensors are the other delicate parts of the hybrid. Once the car hits 100,000 km, it will call for replacement more often.

Then the catalytic converter is charged with filtering the harmful exhaust gases to comply with emission standards.

Also, hybrid cars recharge the batteries through regenerative braking. Once on the highway, brakes are not applied as often, so the batteries don’t get to synergize with the engine that well. 

To make hybrid cars last, follow the maintenance schedule and use the right engine oil. At every 25,000km, get the oxygen sensors and catalytic converter serviced.

Battery and motors serviced as per manufacturer’s schedule.

Hybrid cars shouldn’t be parked in damp places to save the regenerative braking system.

Replace batteries every 100,000km and get other engine components inspected.

Change the transmission oil every 40,000 km.

Change filters regularly and use original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts.