Acura EV Buyer's Guide

What to Know When Shopping for an Electrified Acura model in Gainesville

Making the switch toward a hybrid or electric vehicle is a great way to enhance both the performance and efficiency of your daily drives around Lake City and Ocala. At our Gainesville dealership, we're here to help you understand the differences between hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric vehicles, plus we'll let you in on Acura's plans for electrification in the coming years so you can get excited for what's coming next.

Mild Hybrid vs Traditional Hybrid vs Plug-in Hybrid vs Full Electric

There are four main types of electrification that can help add efficiency to your daily drives, and understanding each type is the key to knowing which model is the best choice for you.

Mild hybrid is the most subtle form of electrification, putting an electric motor between the transmission and the wheels to provided added power at low speeds. It's perfect for getting you moving from a stop and keeping you cruising at low speeds, helping save on gasoline when your vehicle is at its least efficient. Plus, braking and coasting recharge the system's battery automatically, so you'll have plenty of this hidden electric power to aid in fuel efficiency when you need it most.

A traditional hybrid is likely the type that comes to mind most often as it uses both gasoline and electric motors together to improve overall fuel economy, especially when city driving. The electric motor is capable of delivering enough acceleration to get you around town at city speeds, only using the gasoline motor under heavy acceleration or when you reach higher speeds. In this way, it can often mean better city fuel economy than highway efficiency, however it does well to improve both figures to keep you away from the pump.

Plug-in Hybrid technology is applied in a few different ways, but the general structure is always the same. In this instance, you get both electric and gas-powered engines like with a traditional hybrid, but with a plug-in you can run the motors separately or together, depending on your drive mode. Using EV power alone can get you short distances without burning any fuel at all, reserving the gasoline engine until you exceed the battery range of your EV system. Alternatively, you can use both motors together to maximize performance, offering the instant electric torque from a stop and delivering the full power of both motors at once to get you moving quickly.

Full electric vehicles ditch the gasoline engine altogether, relying on electricity alone to get you moving. These systems offer larger battery packs and thus improved performance and range versus the electric motors you'll find in a plug-in hybrid. Plus, fast-charging is available across Gainesville and Ocala to ensure you can stay powered up, and many EVs include navigation with predictive range technology to find charge points along your route.

Current Acura Hybrid Models

Currently, the only Acura hybrid model is the Acura NSX Supercar. It delivers a combined 600 horsepower while maintaining an impressive 22 mpg highway and 21 mpg city despite the impressive power and all-wheel drive propulsion.

Upcoming Acura EVs

The Acura ZDX has been announced as Acura's first-ever electric vehicle, coming in the form of a mid-size SUV. It will be arriving in 2024 and reservations for this all-electric luxury SUV will start at our Gainesville dealership mid-way through 2023.

Stay in Touch with Key Acura of Gainesville

Learn more about upcoming hybrid and electric Acura models by contacting Key Acura of Gainesville today! We'll keep in touch with breaking news and updates about all electrified Acura models so you can be the first behind the wheel.