Do mild hybrids offer electric-only driving?

Mild Hybrid vehicles typically do not have pure electric driving capability. The core of their design lies in using a small electric motor to assist the internal combustion engine in reducing fuel consumption, rather than driving the vehicle independently. These systems adopt a 48V electrical architecture, which can provide additional torque during startup and acceleration, and recover energy to charge the battery during deceleration. However, the motor power is small (usually below 20kW), making it incapable of supporting the vehicle's operation alone. The growing interest in hybrid vehicles in the Malaysian market (projected to account for 16% by 2025) stems primarily from fuel efficiency demands, while the inadequate charging infrastructure remains a barrier to widespread adoption of pure electric vehicles. This also explains why local brands such as Proton prioritize launching affordable electric models over relying solely on pure electric technology. Currently, hybrid technology better aligns with local consumers' needs for balancing low fuel consumption and low operating costs.