The plug-in hybrid car (or PHEV, for “Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle”) operates according to the same principle as the hybrid car, but also features a socket for recharging the vehicle's battery on the electric grid, as well as a larger battery than that of a standard hybrid car.
A plug-in hybrid is an efficient choice for drivers whose daily trips fall within the electric-only range, but who occasionally need to make longer trips. However, those who cannot charge at home or who drive far beyond a PHEV's electric range on a daily basis are likely to get better value from a regular hybrid.
Plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) differ from hybrids because you can charge the battery by plugging it into an outside power source. Since PHEVs are equipped with larger battery packs, they can drive on electricity alone, usually a commuter-friendly 20 to 35 miles.
The main downside of owning a PHEV is that it's likely to have poorer fuel economy than a conventionally-powered alternative when it's driven using the engine rather than the electric motor. This is because you're lugging around the additional weight of its electric battery pack.
Can you drive a plug-in hybrid even if the battery is not charged? You can definitely drive your plug-in hybrid without a charged battery. Although it is designed as a combustion-assisted electric vehicle, the battery always has some energy stored away thanks to its self-charging technology.
Because of this, PHEVs have a larger EV-only range than other hybrids, meaning they run clean for longer. However, if the battery is totally depleted, PHEVs can still run on petrol like a conventional car.
Plug-in hybrid cars, known as PHEVs, are powered by an electric motor and an internal combustion engine (ICE). Their battery can be recharged whilst using a plug-in charging point and whilst driving.
Since hybrids have both regenerative batteries and a fuel engine, both are used proportionally less — meaning both are likely to last longer. Roughly speaking, though, hybrid car drivers can expect to drive their car from anything between 5 and 15 years if suitable maintenance is carried out on them.
Most hybrid batteries should take drivers about 100,000 miles. With excellent maintenance, some owners are able to push this number to 200,000. Warranties typically extend to about the 100,000-mile mark, so manufacturers do expect this to be the upper limit on battery life.
Generally, you shouldn't charge your EV to 100% battery every single night because charging cycles can degrade your battery. Most EVs on the market have a range of a few hundred miles on a single full charge. Unless you are driving long distances every day, that charge should last you a few days.
They are at their most efficient when they're at a consistent cruising speed. So above 15 mph, only the gasoline engine is used.
However, a plug-in hybrid never has to be plugged in and will continue operating in "hybrid" mode (using a combination of the gas engine and the electric motor or motors) indefinitely, as long as you keep filling up the gas tank.
Mild hybrids, hybrids, and PHEVs are cheaper to run than traditional ICE cars because you can take advantage of the electric power generated through regenerative braking.
On average, this type of vehicle can last about 300 miles from full charge to empty. The combustion engine provides some charge for longer distance driving, but plug-in hybrids are intended to be closer to the fully-EV side of Hybrid than “full” Hybrids are.
How often you'll need to charge your plug-in hybrid depends on how far you intend to drive it each day. For regular commuting purposes, you'll probably need to recharge daily.
Plug-in hybrid-electric cars offer both gas-only and electric-only driving—even at relatively high speeds. With smaller batteries than battery-electrics, plug-in hybrids achieve an electric-only range of 20‒55 miles, during which they produce no tailpipe emissions.
The car starts up in electric mode automatically and stays in this mode up until a speed between 43 mph and 80 mph. If additional power is needed, or if the battery's charge is too low, then the car will activate the combustion engine.
If you run out of petrol in your PHEV but still have power in your battery, you will be able to drive the vehicle in EV mode purely on its electric motors. However, if you have run out of battery power as well as fuel, you will not be able to run the car by simply fueling up.
Don't sit in neutral gear in start/stop traffic – electricity will not be generated and the hybrid battery will discharge power. Accelerate gently and stick to the speed limit to get the most out of your electric drive mode. Use cruise control to maintain a steady speed and reduce running costs.
Are plug-in or self-charging hybrids better? On paper, plug-in hybrids are more efficient than a self-charging hybrid, the bigger battery means a PHEV can cover more miles in 100% electric mode. However, this isn't a disadvantage if you're primarily using the car for city driving.
Powered by Electric Motor and Combustion Engine
During urban driving, most of a PHEV's power can come from stored electricity. For example, a light-duty PHEV driver might drive to and from work on all-electric power, plug the vehicle in to charge at night, and be ready for another all-electric commute the next day.
Minimize the batteries at 100% state of charge
Keeping the state of battery charge, from 0 percent to 100 percent , also improves the performance of the battery life of your vehicle. Even though a full charge will give you the maximum operating time, it is never a good idea for the overall lifespan of your battery.
PHEVs reserve significant portions of the battery for other things (the bottom ~1.5 kWh is usually reserved for boosting efficiency of the gas engine and the top ~0.5-1.5 kWh is usually reserved for protecting the battery). That significantly reduces the usable capacity for EV driving.
You can charge your electric car using standard 120 volt(V) home outlets (Level 1), 208-240V outlets like those used by your dryer (Level 2), or dedicated 480V+ public fast chargers (DC Fast Charging). The time it takes to charge using each of these three options depends on your drive and the size of the battery.