We know that the different engine types and deciding which one is for you can be confusing. We have created this guide explaining the different alternative fuel vehicles (AFV) so you can make the right decision for you and your lifestyle.

A hybrid (HEV) vehicle is a vehicle that combines petrol or diesel with an electric motor. These use less fuel and emit less Co2 when compared with a petrol or diesel engine vehicle.

There are three main types of hybrid vehicles; mild hybrid, full hybrid and plug-in hybrid.

A mild hybrid (MHEV) only uses the electric motor to support the engine during acceleration and cruising and is charged using regenerative braking, meaning you never have to worry about charging. 

The electric motor is unable to power the car on its own, however, it gives the engine more pulling power which makes it more economical and puts out lower levels of NOX when compared to a petrol or diesel vehicle. 

Examples of some models that use a mild hybrid engine are the Hyundai i20 and Nissan Qashqai with Mild Hybrid Technology.

A hybrid (HEV) is a self charging car that uses both an electric and petrol/diesel engine. They can either run solely on the internal combustion engine (ICE), the electric engine, or use a blend of both. 

The battery is charged using excess energy from the internal combustion engine (ICE) and regenerative braking. 

Due to the electric engine, hybrid vehicles are able to achieve a much better fuel economy and lower emissions against standard petrol and diesel vehicles. 

More and more hybrid vehicles are being added to the new car market every day, including the New MG3 Hybrid + and the New Renault Arkana E-Tech Full Hybrid.

A plug-in hybrid (PHEV) also uses both an electric and petrol/diesel engine, however instead of self charging they need to be plugged in. These also tend to run on the electric motor and use petrol/diesel as a back-up. 

The range for the electric motor is longer than a standard hybrid due to them having a larger capacity battery. 

PHEV's emit fewer emissions and use less fuel than the other hybrid options, so if you are happy to charge but not 100% sure on going fully electric, this is the best option for you. 

If you fancy a plug-in hybrid, you can check out the MG HS Plug-In Hybrid. 

Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles (FCEV) are new to the alternative fuel world but are the cleanest vehicle you can choose to drive as they only emit water.

The car's electricity and power is generated by a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen and they also tend to have a much longer range on a single charge when compared to 100% electric vehicles.

There is no waiting around for charging as you can fill this up similar to petrol and diesel vehicles. Simply lock the nozzle on and the gas will be transferred into the engine, all can be done in under 5 minutes.

These currently do not have a mass market in the UK due to being a new technology but have the potential to become a favourite.

A Bi-Fuel vehicle has multiple fuel tanks and are able to run on two fuels. One uses petrol or diesel and the other uses an alternative fuel like hydrogen, liquid petroleum gas (LPG) or natural gas.

When driving you can simply choose which fuel you wish to use at the flip of a switch and when one runs out it will automatically switch to the other.

These save you money, reduce emissions and increase range, when comparing to a normal petrol or diesel engine, what's not to love?

You can fill these up similar to fuelling a petrol or diesel car at any LPG station that are placed all over the UK.

Synthetic fuel is basically a copy of petrol and diesel but is renewable which in turn would cut down Co2 emissions.

The idea of synthetic fuel is that any current petrol or diesel engine would be able to run on synthetic fuel instead. This isn't a new method but has had a lot more interest since the demand for alternative fuel vehicles has increased.

There are a few different methods of production but the most common one today is to take carbon dioxide or monoxide from the atmosphere and synthesise it with hydrogen taken from water.

There are no current vehicles you can buy that run solely on synthetic fuel however a few brands are looking into this so it may be something coming in the future.