Is a plug-in hybrid right for me?
There is more variety out there when it comes to engines than ever before. While petrol and diesel were the de-facto options a few years ago, the increasing presence of hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fully electric models has made choosing a new car a little trickier than it used to be.
Plug-in hybrids in particular have grown in popularity and while they do come accompanied by the promise of lower running costs, there are a few aspects about them to consider before you jump in. Let’s take a look.
Can you charge at home?
Just like an electric vehicle, a plug-in hybrid needs to be charged up. Sure, you can run it on the petrol or diesel engine, but plug-in hybrids - or PHEVs - are at their most efficient when the batteries are kept topped up which means you need somewhere that you can reliably charge up.
That means having a chargepoint at home, which requires off-street parking. Fortunately, plug-in hybrids can be charged using a three-pin plug (their smaller batteries don’t take as long to charge as a full EV’s), but you’ll still need a weatherproof plug outside your home or a way of plugging in that is safe.
Do you do long journeys?
The electric-only range that you can get from a plug-in hybrid has increased massively over recent years, with some now able to deliver close to 70 miles of range from a full charge. However, if you’re doing longer journeys - on the motorway, for instance - then even the best-possible electric range won’t cover a full trip.
When its electric range is depleted, a plug-in hybrid is often less efficient than an equivalent standard petrol or diesel, so you really need to think about your usual driving habits and whether or not they’d get the best out of a plug-in hybrid.
Do you need the best possible boot space?
For many drivers, boot space is a key consideration. Particularly when it comes to families, having a roomy load area at the back can make everyday life a whole lot easier. The issue with a plug-in hybrid, however, is that due to the fitment of the batteries, many cars suffer a penalty when it comes to boot space. For example, BMW’s 330e has a boot space which is 90 litres smaller than the equivalent ‘regular’ petrol.
There are some exceptions to this, of course - Volvo’s XC40 has the same-sized boot in both regular and plug-in hybrid guises - but it’s worth checking beforehand to make sure it fits your needs.
Could a ‘regular’ hybrid work for you instead?
Though they can’t offer the same electric-only range as a plug-in hybrid, a ‘standard’ hybrid - often referred to as a ‘self-charging’ hybrid - can deliver a good level of efficiency that can make a difference to fuel bills.
They’re also an ideal choice for drivers who aren’t able to charge at home or access reliable charging. Plug-in hybrids, after all, need to be kept topped up in order to be at their most efficient whereas a regular hybrid has no such requirement - the smaller battery is topped up through the energy that would otherwise be lost during braking. This is then used to take the strain off the engine when accelerating hard.
Could an electric vehicle be a smarter option?
If you’re already considering a plug-in hybrid, then you’re half-way to a fully electric vehicle. Of course, you don’t get that background of a petrol or diesel engine but, given the increased range that many electric vehicles can deliver, you’ll be able to go further on a single charge than you might expect.
An electric vehicle brings the possibility of far lower running costs, too, both in terms of fuel and maintenance. Like a plug-in hybrid, you’ll still need somewhere to charge up reliability and while infrastructure has been a point of contention in recent years, it has ramped up considerably so that there are far more charging options out there than before.
