Hybrid cars are more popular than ever. We explain what a plug-in hybrid is, plus the advantages and disadvantages of choosing a PHEV for your next car.
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are a great midway point between purely engine-powered cars and purely electric cars. They’re ideal if you want to dip your toe into driving and living with an EV, with a familiar engine on hand as backup for longer journeys.
PHEVs have a battery that recharges from mains electricity, plus a petrol or diesel engine. Used as intended, they can hugely reduce your fuel bills – official fuel consumption figures of over 200mpg aren’t uncommon.
Whether you’re looking to save money on fuel versus a conventional car, use it as a stepping stone to a fully electric car, or drive on electric power without the range anxiety, a used plug-in hybrid makes an excellent purchase. To make sure a PHEV is right for you, we’ve listed pros and cons, and we’ve made it easy to search for your next car.
What is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV)?
A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) is a vehicle with a battery pack that can be recharged in addition to its regular fuel-powered engine. This combination is designed to give the ideal balance between economy and performance.
Many plug-in hybrid cars manage somewhere between 25 and 50 miles of electric driving on a full battery charge. That might not sound like a lot but, when the average UK commute is less than 30 miles, you could do a large proportion of your weekly driving without using a drop of fuel – as long as you plug it in to recharge, of course.
More modern plug-in hybrid engines are now offering increased range figures. For example, the new Golf eHybrid achieves up to 88 miles of electric driving from a fully charged battery – plenty for most drivers to only need the engine occasionally. Read our guide to the longest-range plug-in hybrids here.
The petrol or diesel engine is there to achieve longer journeys and in some cases there to help charge the batteries when driving.
What is the difference between hybrid and plug-in hybrid cars?
These two types of hybrid cars both use an engine, plus an electric motor and a battery. The difference between hybrid and plug-in hybrid cars is generally the size of the battery. Hybrids (like the Toyota Corolla) have quite small batteries, typically 1-2kWh in size. They can only drive a couple of miles on electric power at a time, but are designed to assist the engine and make it more economical. Around town, some hybrids like the Toyota Yaris and Renault Clio can spend a lot of time running on electric power. At higher speeds, the engine will be doing the lion’s share of the work. You might hear these cars being referred to as ‘full’ or ‘self-charging’ hybrids.
Plug-in hybrid batteries are much bigger, typically more than 10kWh. Because they’re bigger, the batteries need topping up from the electricity grid. But the flipside is a much longer electric range. If you’re on a reasonable home electricity tariff or can charge cheaply out and about, a plug-in hybrid can be much cheaper to run than a conventional hybrid.
How do plug-in hybrid cars work?
Most plug-in hybrid cars have multiple drive modes. Often, you can drive in all-electric mode (if there’s enough charge in the battery), or you can choose to save the electric power for later in the journey – if you’re driving into a city, for example. Alternatively, you can let the car’s computer decide which power source to use. The cleverest PHEVs can use data from the sat nav to work out when to use electric or engine power.
Recharging a plug-in hybrid car
Charging at home is the easiest way to fill up a plug-in hybrid’s battery. Most PHEVs accept a charging rate of 7kW, which is what you’ll get from a home wallbox. That’s usually enough to fully charge a PHEV’s battery in three or four hours. Don’t want to shell out for a wallbox? You can use a standard three-pin plug socket, which should still have the battery fully topped up overnight.
Not many PHEVs have fast-charging capability – a growing number of new models do, but many existing models don’t – so your car may not be compatible with a public DC fast-charger. You can use apps such as ZapMap and A Better Route Planner to find lower-power AC chargers.
What’s more, public charge points are typically much more expensive than charging at home – so on long journeys it might be more cost-effective to simply use the engine.
Driving a plug-in hybrid with an empty battery
If you don’t plug in a PHEV, the car will simply run using the petrol or diesel engine.
Although it will run as normal, you will find a significant change in the vehicle’s economy and MPG. The electric components are designed to supplement the combustion engines and help the vehicle achieve a better fuel economy.
Don’t forget that the batteries in a plug-in hybrid can be very heavy. On long runs using just the engine, you’ll be lugging the battery pack around – so you might get a lower fuel economy figure than you would in an equivalent petrol or diesel car.
Does a plug-in hybrid recharge while driving?
Some PHEV models are fitted with technology that can place the car into a ‘charging’ driving mode, where the internal combustion engine will begin to charge the car's batteries. This is only really achieved around town with lots of braking events – on the open road the engine will struggle to put any juice into the battery.
You might be able to choose a battery charge mode, which makes the engine power the car and charge the battery. This uses a lot of fuel, however.
It is important to note that optimal charging is achieved by charging the car at an electric point.
What are the advantages of a plug-in hybrid?
There are many advantages when it comes to having a PHEV. The main benefits you will see are:
- Better fuel economy and reduced fuel bills if used properly
- Electric-only driving for short distances
- Often quick acceleration
- Lower quoted CO2 emissions give tax cuts to company-car drivers
- No range anxiety with a conventional engine for longer journeys
- Strong residual values as demand for hybrid vehicles increases
- Many PHEVs have a long battery warranty
What are the disadvantages of plug-in hybrids?
Plug-in hybrids won’t suit everyone, and there are a few things to consider if you’re looking at PHEVs:
- They need plugging in for the best fuel economy
- They aren’t the most economical choice for long distances – the battery will quickly run out at motorway speeds
- Extra weight can blunt handling
- Battery may take up passenger or boot space
- Having to remember to recharge the battery and fill up with fuel
- From April 2025, there’s no discount in road tax for hybrids
- Many PHEVs have a smaller fuel tank
- Some PHEVs aren't warrantied for the same length of time as EVs
- Affordable long-range electric cars are becoming more prevalent
Which cars are plug-in hybrids?
A huge number of carmakers offer plug-in hybrid cars now, from Audi and BMW to Ford, Skoda and Hyundai. You can get hatchbacks, SUVs, saloons and estate with a mix of fuel and battery power. Search our huge range of used plug-in hybrid cars for sale.
Is it worth buying a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle?
Buying a PHEV is a great way to reduce your fuel bills and to be more environmentally friendly.
While they aren’t quite as cost-effective as a fully electric vehicle, they are the ideal choice for anyone with a regular commute or who often does short journeys.
The practicality of having a regular engine to supplement the electric motors means a PHEV is a great introduction into the world of hybrid and electric vehicles.
