Trying to decide between a plug-in hybrid and a fully electric car? The good news is you have come to the right place. The bad news is we don't have a definitive answer.
The time will come when an electric car is the right choice for the majority of drivers. Indeed, the clock is ticking until the government bans the sale of new petrol, diesel and hybrid cars.
Until then, you have a choice, and whether you should opt for a plug-in hybrid or a pure electric vehicle depends on your circumstances. Allow us to explain.
In simple terms, a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) uses batteries to power an electric motor, and either petrol or diesel fuel to power an engine. Its batteries can be charged in the same way as a pure electric car, using a wallbox, a charging station or while driving via regenerative braking.
Typically, a modern plug-in hybrid will deliver between 20 and 40 miles of electric range, depending on the make and model. Once this has gone, the car will switch to petrol or diesel power (petrol is more common) to deliver a total range of anything up to 600 miles.
In an electric car, the engine is replaced by an electric motor. Power is sourced from a large battery pack that must be recharged at home, at work or using a public charging station.
You can expect to achieve anything between 100 and 350 miles of driving range, depending on the type of car and how you drive.
Here are the primary benefits associated with running a plug-in hybrid, rather an electric car:
When viewed in the context of a plug-in hybrid, these are the benefits of going 100 percent electric:
Is a plug-in hybrid a better bet than a fully electric car? Possibly not, but you have to decide which one is best for you.
Say, for example, you want an SUV. Right now, the choice of fully electric SUVs is rather limited - and many of the options are at the premium end of the market. It's also fair to say that plug-in hybrids are usually cheaper than electric cars - even taking into account the £1,500 government grant for EVs.
If you live in a rural area, where access to public chargers is limited, you might like the reassurance of a petrol engine to get you home. The public charger network is growing, but there's a strong bias towards major towns and cities. Equally, a PHEV is decisively more practical if you don't have a driveway or dedicated parking space where you can charge an EV.
We'd also suggest owning a plug-in hybrid if you're able to complete your daily commute on electric power, but need something a little more long-legged at the weekend. Just make sure you recharge the batteries, otherwise a standard hybrid might be a more sensible option.
Beyond that, it's getting increasingly difficult to mount a case against buying an electric car. Prices start from around £20,000, while range estimates of 200+ miles are becoming the norm.
Check out the pages of Motoring Electric and decide for yourself. Let us know what you decide to do.
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