HEV

Meanings

1. 1abbreviationcountabletechnical

   A car that combines a petrol or diesel engine with an electric motor and battery, and cannot usually be plugged in to charge.

   Grammar: Read letter by letter and used with an or an: an HEV, two HEVs.

   Patterns

   • buy an HEV
   • HEV and PHEV

   My sister swapped her old diesel for an HEV to cut her fuel bills.

   An HEV recharges its battery while braking, so it never needs a charging cable.

   Sales of the HEV rose sharply once fuel prices went up.

2. 2abbreviationuncountablemedical

   The hepatitis E virus, which infects the liver and is usually spread through contaminated water or undercooked meat.

   Grammar: Used without an article when naming the virus: HEV is common in some regions.

   Patterns

   • infected with HEV
   • HEV infection

   Doctors tested the patient for HEV after he developed jaundice.

   HEV infection usually clears up without treatment in healthy adults.

   Travelers were warned about HEV in areas with poor sanitation.

Word forms

Common combinations

HEV battery

The HEV battery is charged by the engine and by braking.

HEV model

The company launched an HEV model last spring.

HEV infection

HEV infection is rarely serious in young people.

HEV vaccine

A vaccine against HEV is available in only a few countries.

Synonyms and how they differ

hybrid

Hybrid is the everyday word for the car and can also cover plug-in types, while HEV is a more technical label that excludes them.

PHEV

A PHEV is a plug-in hybrid with a larger battery you can charge from the mains, which an ordinary HEV cannot do.

Opposites

Word family

PHEV abbreviation

plug-in hybrid electric vehicle

BEV abbreviation

battery electric vehicle with no engine

hybrid noun

a car using more than one power source

Commonly confused: HEV or HAV?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “HEV”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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