What Is a Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV)?
There are several types of vehicles that have both an internal combustion engine and an electric motor for propulsion. These vehicles are known as hybrids, and they fall into different categories depending on whether you can charge them, the size of their battery, and their ability to drive solely on electricity.
Out of all types of hybrids, the ones with the longest range and best performance while on battery power are called plug-in hybrids. As their name suggests, unlike other types of hybrids, they can be plugged in to charge so as not to rely on their combustion engine to act as a generator that replenishes the battery.
Let’s take a deeper look at what plug-in hybrids are and how they work.
How Many Types of Hybrid Vehicles Are There?
There are three main categories of hybrids: mild hybrids, hybrids, and plug-in hybrids. The first kind, mild hybrids, are basically just internal combustion engine vehicles whose alternator and starter motors have been replaced with a single unit, usually referred to as an integrated starter-generator (ISG for short).
The ISG, therefore, takes on the role of starting the engine as well as putting electricity back into the vehicle’s battery. It can’t drive the wheels, though, so a mild hybrid will never be able to drive in full electric mode, and that’s where the most common type of hybrid comes in.
Regular hybrids have a bigger electric motor and battery pack, which gives them the ability to travel only on electrons for up to a few miles. They also have superior fuel efficiency compared to a vehicle with a comparable engine but no electrification.
One step up from regular hybrids are plug-in hybrids, also referred to as PHEVs. These have even more powerful motors and larger battery packs, as well as an actual charging port, just like fully electric vehicles. They are the most capable type of hybrid, but they are not without drawbacks.
How Do You Charge a PHEV?
For a vehicle to be called a plug-in hybrid, it needs to have a charging port where it can draw electricity from an external source. The location of the charging port varies from model to model, but you can usually easily tell you’re looking at a PHEV because they have flaps: one covers their fuel filler cap and the other hides the charging port.
PHEVs usually only come with a slow charging port, though, so you won’t see too many that support the CCS port needed to fast-charge electrified vehicles. Some plug-in hybrids from BMW, Mercedes, Volvo, Polestar, and Jaguar-Land Rover do have a fast-charging port, though.
How Far Can a PHEV Travel on One Charge?
With their larger batteries compared to regular hybrids, plug-in hybrids can usually drive for a few dozen miles before their battery is fully depleted and they need to start up their engine to generate electricity. Typical plug-in hybrid batteries vary in terms of capacity from around 10 kWh all the way to over 30 kWh.
One ofthe longest-range plug-in hybrids, the Range Rover P440e, has a 32 kWh battery pack that can take it a claimed 48 miles on a full charge. At the other end of the spectrum, we have PHEVs with smaller battery packs and lower range, such as the Mini Cooper SE Countryman, whose 10 kWh battery will only take it up to 17 miles.
It’s worth noting thatsome more powerful plug-in hybrids prioritize performanceover electric range or outright efficiency. The crop ofplug-in hybrid supercarsfalls under this category, as do Porsche’s plug-in hybrids or some plug-in models from BMW.
How Fast Can a PHEV Drive on Battery Alone?
You can also take most plug-in hybrids on the highway, where they will be able to cruise at or just under the speed limit without starting up their combustion engine. Most PHEVs can do 60 or 70 mph just on electricity, but it’s worth noting that when driving constantly at that high a speed, they won’t even come close to achieving their claimed EPA range.
Can You Drive a PHEV Without Ever Starting Its Engine?
If you use your plug-in hybrid vehicle for relatively short commutes and charge it regularly, then you could theoretically never need its combustion engine to fire up. This is the best use-case scenario for PHEV ownership, as it would mean you’re essentially driving it like a fully electric vehicle that doesn’t produce any harmful tailpipe emissions.
PHEVs usually have enough power so that they are safe to drive in their pure EV mode on any type of road. If you have to choose, prioritize EV mode in urban areas which are already heavily polluted and have bad air quality. It’s better to use the combustion engine on the freeway—it still impacts the environment, but it affects fewer people at a local level, and it allows you to keep the battery charged so that you can drive only on electricity when you reach a built-up area.
It’s also advisable to periodically start up the engine to burn older gasoline and prevent potential problems that may arise from keeping the engine off for weeks or even months at a time. Plug-in hybrids are programmed to start their engines at set intervals specifically to avoid this, but you should think about this in advance and do it proactively.
Is a PHEV the Most Expensive Type of Hybrid?
Since they are the most complex and have the biggest batteries of any hybrid, PHEVs are predictably the most expensive. In fact, the plug-in hybrid variant is usually the most expensive version of a given model, although manufacturers often make the PHEV model the most powerful, and they may only sell this version in a single, very well-equipped trim level; this further ups the price.
What Are a PHEV’s Biggest Downsides?
PHEVs are quick, have a long range, and can genuinely provide an EV-like experience, with the comfort of having a gas engine to alleviate range anxiety. But they are far from perfect. Aside from the aforementioned high price and additional complexity over other types of vehicles, PHEVs are also very heavy.
For instance, the Range Rover P440e plug-in hybrid weighs 2.9 tons compared to the non-electrified P400 model, which has the same engine and weighs closer to 2.5 tons. That’s a lot of extra weight, and it will negatively affect the vehicle’s handling and braking performance to the point where you may feel it’s cumbersome and not very responsive.
Another disadvantage that is often overlooked by buyers who buy PHEVs has to do with the vehicle’s efficiency if you don’t regularly charge it. If you don’t make a habit out of charging your PHEV (preferably every day if you use it to commute), then you may end up using more fuel than you would have if you just bought the non-electrified version of the same model. This is linked to the extra weight issue, but also to the fact that using a PHEV’s engine to power the generator that charges the battery is not at all efficient, and it will bring your fuel economy figures down considerably.
If something goes wrong with your PHEV and you need to service it, or if it needs a new battery pack, expect to pay more than you would for a regular hybrid. You may even have to take it to a specialist, as some garages that lack the necessary experience may refuse to work on your plug-in given its extra complexity and the risk posed by its high-voltage parts. This will most likely end up costing you more, so it’s definitely something to factor in.
PHEVs Are Long-Range Hybrids That You Can Charge
Plug-in hybrids are regular hybrids’ long-range cousins. They give you the option to charge the vehicle’s battery from an external source, plus they have good electric range and strong straight-line performance. If you charge them often, they will prove exceptionally efficient, to the point where your commute will be almost completely emissions-free.
However, PHEVs are heavy and more cumbersome to drive, and if you value a vehicle’s handling prowess, you may want to avoid plug-ins and just stick with a regular hybrid. It’s also worth noting that for some people, a completely electric vehicle may be the right choice, depending on their lifestyle. Just make sure you do your research before buying an electrified vehicle and that it matches your needs.
Are plug-in hybrids passé? Or does it still have a place in a world of Teslas, Rivians, and Ford F-150 Lightnings?
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