Electric Cars vs. Plug-In Hybrids — What to Know
- Fully electric vehicles (EVs) rely on battery packs and use no gasoline. EV drivers charge the battery at home or public charging stations.
- Plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) use battery power to drive shorter distances, often around 30 to 40 miles. When the electric motor depletes the battery pack, a gas-powered engine takes over.
- Some buyers may be eligible for federal tax credits when purchasing an EV or PHEV.
If you’re trying to choose a new or used car and deciding between a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) versus a battery-powered electric vehicle (EV) to determine which is right for you, this is the place to start.
Both types of cars include plug types that use electrical outlets for battery recharging. But there are also hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), which do not use a plug-in device. This article addresses only plug-in hybrids and EVs.
We have researched the benefits and drawbacks to answer your essential questions. Read on to find out more.
- Differences Between Plug-In Hybrids and Electric Cars
- Advantages and Disadvantages of Electric Cars
- Pros and Cons of Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles
- Tax Credits and Other Incentives
PHEV vs. EV: What’s the Difference?
Before we cover the benefits and drawbacks of plug-in hybrid cars versus electric cars, we must understand the vehicle types.
Hybrid cars are powered by both gasoline and electricity. Most hybrids have a standard 12-volt battery like conventional gas-powered cars but also have higher-voltage battery packs. Those cells capture and redistribute energy as needed to help the vehicle burn less gas and achieve better fuel economy. They do not use plugs. This article focuses on plug-in hybrids detailed below.
Plug-in hybrid cars are exactly what their name suggests: They’re hybrid cars that plug into an electrical outlet. Examples include the Lexus RX450h+, Toyota RAV4 Prime, and the Ford Escape PHEV. Essentially, plug-in vehicles use two different powertrains, both of which can drive the wheels. An electric motor allows drivers to go a limited distance (typically between 30 and 40 miles, depending on the vehicle). When the battery that feeds the electric motor is drained of power, a gasoline-powered engine kicks in.
On the other hand, electric vehicles are powered solely by electricity, meaning they don’t use gasoline. Well-known electric cars include the Kia EV6, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Nissan Ariya, and the Tesla Model S. Electric vehicles get their power from batteries, which feed an electric motor. The difference is that EVs have no backup engine to take over when the batteries run out of juice. Usually, they have more room for batteries since they don’t have to make space for the gasoline engine. That means fully electric cars offer a more extended electric-only range than plug-in hybrids.
Which Is More Efficient: An Electric Vehicle or a Plug-In Hybrid?
We would give the nod to plug-in hybrids as the more efficient in terms of convenience (saving time). Additionally, PHEVs are easier to live with, and their smaller batteries require wasting fewer natural resources to build. If your primary concern is burning less oil over a vehicle’s lifetime and producing zero emissions through the tailpipe, EVs win.
How Do I Choose Between a PHEV and an EV?
Picking between an EV and a PHEV boils down to your lifestyle and commitment to electric-only driving. At the end of the day, EVs and PHEVs reduce oil consumption and expel fewer toxic emissions than traditional hybrids (HEVs), or vehicles propelled solely by a combustion engine.
EVs tend to have higher purchase prices than PHEVs and can only drive a fixed distance (usually between 250 and 350 miles) without needing to charge. On the other hand, many PHEVs can travel short (25 to 50 miles) distances on electric-only power before the combustion engine kicks in. This is plenty of electric range in most cases for daily errand running or work commutes. Yet, the combustion engine can complete much longer driving tasks or road trips without the time-consuming task of recharging the battery.
Electric Cars: Pros and Cons
Electric vehicles offer several advantages over plug-in hybrids.
Electric Car Benefits
- The main attraction for some buyers is that electric vehicles benefit the environment more than plug-in hybrids. EVs don’t use any gasoline at all. That’s a big deal for shoppers looking to minimize their carbon footprint as much as possible.
- Electric vehicles may help drivers save more money than plug-in hybrids since EVs don’t use gas. Most charging happens overnight at home, though EV owners usually must pay at public charging stations.
- Electric cars are fun to drive. The rise in popularity has a lot to do with their incredible acceleration. For example, the base 2024 Tesla Model S Long Range touts a 0-60 mph time of 3.1 seconds. You will not understand the thrill of experiencing low-end torque like that until you drive one of these vehicles in complete silence.
Electric Car Disadvantages
- Electric cars cost more upfront than similar PHEV models.
- Another downside to all-electric cars is the range. Depending on the model, some plug-in hybrids can travel up to 60 miles on electric power plus another 500 miles using a full tank of gasoline. The fully electric 2024 Nissan Leaf SV Plus can get up to an EPA-estimated 212 miles on a single charge. The 2024 Tesla Model S gets up to 405 miles from a full battery. While the range of electric cars is sufficient for daily use for most drivers, a PHEV might be better for long-distance road trips or weekend getaways.
- Also, weather can affect range, and there’s no backup gas engine to rely on like a PHEV.
- In an electric car, you must carefully plan your trip and stop longer to recharge, compared to a quick gas fill-up. However, the technology in electric car batteries continues to improve capacity and recharge times. Plus, the increasing availability of charging stations makes it easier for EV owners to travel away from home.
Plug-In Hybrids: Pros and Cons
Of course, plug-in hybrid cars also offer advantages and disadvantages.
PHEV Pros
- The primary benefit of a PHEV is range. Electric vehicles can only travel as far as their batteries allow before recharging. Plug-in hybrids also have a gasoline engine and an electric powertrain. The result is that plug-in drivers get the best of both worlds. They get electric-vehicle efficiency around town and traditional car range for longer trips.
- Also, the price of a plug-in hybrid is usually less than electric-only cars. However, the price of a regular hybrid vehicle is typically thousands less than the plug-in variety.
PHEV Cons
- Regarding disadvantages, a plug-in has a limited “electric-only” range — up to 60 miles in today’s offerings.
- Compared to an electric car, you still have the operating cost of paying for gas, although much less than a gas-only vehicle. The cost can be a decisive factor in the fight between electric cars versus plug-in hybrids.
Is There a Tax Credit for Electric Cars?
If your primary purpose for buying a new car with a fuel-efficient focus is gas-pump savings and tax rebates, no problem. Both plug-in hybrids and electric cars will benefit you. Federal tax credits of up to $7,500 apply to eligible new PHEVs and EVs and up to $4,000 for used, as do available state tax credits. Even states offering alternative-fuel carpool lanes tend to allow plug-in hybrids and EVs to use them with single occupants.
In other words, you can’t go wrong when deciding between plug-in hybrids versus electric cars. You’ll have to decide on the best option for your situation.
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated for accuracy since it was initially published.
NOBODY ever talks about this. If you owned a electric/hybrid vehicle for a long time or more than ten years, you will find out that you have to replace the batteries. Which is very very expensive! I figured your saving gas up front, but when it’s time to replace the batteries, there goes your savings. your paying more for a hybrid and replacement batteries. If your leasing ( who cares I guess). Keeping a car for more than ten years is really something to think about what works best for you. There should be good rebates for hybrids not just for electric.
We have a 2024 Toyota RAV4 Prime. We had the car for two weeks locally and did not use a once of gas. Then we drove about 400 miles a day through out the southwest (CA, NV, AZ, NM, CO, and then back to CA. The car has over a 500 mile range on one tank of gas.
The best PHEV is the RAV4 Prime, performance in the least gas usage over 10,000 miles is 2-times better than the next best. Zero to 60, in 5.5 seconds. I drove 4,721 miles on a full tank of gas, and put 10.8 gallons, and no other PHEV, can do that. We get better than 45-hybrid driving on long trips
We have a PHEV. We can charge w/a home 240v Charger off-peak for 5.1 cents per KWH! Between utility rebates and tax credits, the Level 2 Charge will only cost us about $400 out of pocket.
We’ve had the car for 4 months & haven’t added gas since we bought it. We love it!
The only one I have seen is a small BMW with a 2 gallon gas tank. The gas motor just charges the batteries. I have a friend that has it. He likes it.
The only one I have seen is a small BMW with a 2 gallon gas tank. The gas motor just charges the batteries. I have a friend that has it. He likes it.
I’ve been driving phevs for six years. Was tired of paying the gas companies what they decided I should pay! Western PA is 60cents electric cost equivalent to a gallon of gas 😑 . I’ve been wishing they made options for upgrading the battery range my experience is 80-100 miles would be more efficient and economical. Looks like ram ramcharger is going to be a good truck option coming up in 2025. 140mi with series generator setup.
I have 2 Phev’s. We get about 400 mpge. We have no range anxiety. We charge in our garage off 110 volt plugs. I believe them to be the best option in today’s market.
A friend of mine rented one on a visit to the UK last year. It was a Nissan, and you can read about their technology (e-Power) via this link.
https://www.nissan-global.com/EN/INNOVATION/TECHNOLOGY/ARCHIVE/E_POWER/
I have heard that another category is being revived: The gas electric car. It operates as an electric car but has a small gas engine which does not drive the wheels. Instead, it can recharge the battery if needed while the car is still running. Does anyone know anything more about this type of car?
The Chevy Volt was exactly that. The first like 40 miles were all electric. Then a gas generator kicked in tust to charge the battery, but it was still powered by the electric motor. They called it an extended range electric vehicle. They quit making it for some reason. Seemed like a great technology!
RAV4 Prime gets the best all electric range of on average of 48 miles, and on this current tank of gas we have 4,300 miles with a quarter of a tank left. The all electric range,will save twice what the rest of the plugin-hybrids give.
In 2023 I bought a 2024 BMW X5 PHEV. The electric range is about 42 miles per charge. I drive less than 30 miles per day so its range is perfect for me. There is plenty of power on just electric mode but for more fun, with the inline 6 it has 480+ hp. It’s perfect in the city.
All the EV myths are in these comments. Some need to do a little research. Batteries now last well beyond 200K miles. Most will outlast the cars they’re installed in. 90 mile per day commute? Almost all EV’s now have well over 200 miles of range – even in hot or colder temps.
I’ve also heard and read that, if something goes wrong with the battery system, you can’t even use the gas engine due to how the ECU handles that type of issue and just makes the vehicle inoperable. Has anyone else heard that?
Thank you
Brian
Need to consider the 15% to 18% increase for auto insurance on electric vehicles, apposed to gas vehicles. The grid is not ready for everyone to have EV’s. The loss of battery charge being impacted by extreme heat in the south and cold weather in the north. Sorry, I am not sold on EV or hybrid, I live in a southern state where temperatures are in the 100’s, plus the cost to replace the battery. My last vehicle lasted well over 200,000 miles with regular maintenance. EV’s are not practical for those that drive 90 miles a day to commute to work and home. Yes, I chose not to live in the city where the crime and cost of living is out of control.
This was a valid and legitimately relevant comment until you had to throw in a completely unnecessary “oh the evil, dangerous, expensive big city” dig at the end. Neither has any bearing on ev range, and putting it out there like that undermines your legitimate reasons why evs may not be for you and turns it into just another culture war luddite fight. Very disappointing you undermined your own credibility like that
Totally agree with you .
I’m a Tesla model y long range owner. Buying one currently comes with up to a 10000 rebate from Maryland and federal government . Tesla also is offering 6 months of free charging. So far the charging stations are plentiful along major highways and the car identifies them on your trip. Love this car!
I had an EV for a year and loved it. Butttt it was difficult to use for any trip as granted you had to stop for a charge. That is where I struggled as most charging stations were full and or not operating. Then almost everyone charged so slow (no where near the advertised 350k as you were privileged if they exceeded 100k) very time consuming on a trip. Great for local drivers but not a single car family. Next is the biggest negative- I lost 20k in value in one year driving 15,000 miles. Never again. I love the plug in hybrid as I will take 35 to 40 mpg for a suv on trips, yet plug in for 1 hour and 20 minutes to basically drive locally without gas. EV infrastructure is not ready for traveling long distances especially in extreme conditions hot or cold as they kill the range substantially. Maybe 5 or 10 years later. Don’t lose your shirt with an EV. Thank you
I bought a Subaru Crosstrek plug-in hybrid 3 years ago and it has been fantastic to drive. I plug-in when I come home and automatically charge overnight. For errand drives under 20 miles, the gas engine doesn’t turn on. When I do need gas it is about 3 months between 13 gallon fill ups. My electric charges are detailed on my utility bill and equal about $11.00 per month for charging at home. My wife is now looking to trade her V-6 for a new plug-in hybrid that gets 40 miles on a charge. We are obviously sold on plug-in hybrids!
Forgot to mention about maintenance cost between them. I guess a full Electric would cost less to maintain than a hybrid due to no oil, fluid, belts or any other required maintenance change on a regular car.
My opinion is depends of your life style and the daily activity and the range needed. I would buy a full electric for my life style. I am retired and I do not need to be in a hurry to go places and needed that time to recharge the vehicle. Main reason I want a full electric vehicle is because I do not want to deal with the burden of Gas, motor oil, major hoses and belts changes. I want a clean car, and reduce road and engine noise. I would rather have an EV with at least 300 miles in a single charge. I am planning to buy a Ford Mach E in 2025 by that time EV will be better cars.
My opinion is depends of your life style and the daily activity and the range needed. I would buy a full electric for my life style. I am retired and I do not need to be in a hurry to go places and needed that time to recharge the vehicle. Main reason I want a full electric vehicle is because I do not want to deal with the burden of Gas, motor oil, major hoses and belts changes. I want a clean car, and reduce road and engine noise. I would rather have an EV with at least 300 miles in a single charge. I am planning to buy a Ford Mach E in 2025 by that time EV will be better cars.
More subtle PHEV disadvantages: (1) the battery is deep-cycled nearly every day — vs only when you road-trip in a BEV, leading to shortened battery life in the PHEV (44K miles in my 2017 Sonata) (2) on cold days, the PHEV will run the ICE to heat the cabin.
More subtle PHEV disadvantages: (1) the battery is deep-cycled nearly every day — vs only when you road-trip in a BEV, leading to shortened battery life in the PHEV (44K miles in my 2017 Sonata) (2) on cold days, the PHEV will run the ICE to heat the cabin.
The decision should begin with a careful analysis of the type of trips you’ll use the car for! I mean duh!! If you want a car for short trips each day and an occasional roadtrip then the PHEV makes the most sense from an overall efficiency and environmental impact. Why haul around 2000 lbs of battery when you may only need the range occasionally. My trips to town are less than 30 miles a day total so with my PHEV I only buy gas once a year.
Interesting that you picked the Leaf and Bolt as examples of range limits for EVs. Those are two of the lowest range EVs. My 2023 long range Tesla Model 3 is EPA rated for 333 miles and the 2024 model 3 is significantly longer than that due to improved aerodynamics
A recent study by US insurer, AutoinsuranceEZ found that hybrid cars had the worst fire record, while EVs were the least likely type of car to catch fire. Hybrid cars had 3474.5 fires per 100,000 sale; petrol cars had 1,529.9 fires per 100,000 sales and EVs had just 25.1 fires per 100,000 sales.
Expected growing pains in an evolving technology, new battery chemistry already on the market and more in the pipeline will address these rare issues.
PHEVs cost less than BEV’s? Really? A Chevy Bolt, after rebates (which were not even mentioned!), can be in the upper $20’s….and makes a lot of sense even if only as a local regional car. Many families can buy one of these (new or used) & use the gas car road for trips.
PHEVs cost less than BEV’s? Really? A Chevy Bolt, after rebates (which were not even mentioned!), can be in the upper $20’s….and makes a lot of sense even if only as a local regional car. Many families can buy one of these (new or used) & use the gas car road for trips.
The biggest reason to not buy a non plug in hybrid is if you drive very little everyday. In fact a gas car is the way go if you are retired and do not pay federal taxes.
The biggest reason to not buy a non plug in hybrid is if you drive very little everyday. In fact a gas car is the way go if you are retired and do not pay federal taxes.
There was so much left out. Aside from not having to pay for gas, you don’t have to go through a smog check, change the oil, worry about transmission fluid or anything else tied to a gas powered car. With a Hybrid, you get all the drawbacks of a gas powered car plus the added hassle of so many additional components to support an electric motor. That is just more stuff to break down. The maintenance costs of a Hybrid are super high.
Here’s a correction for your article. The RAV4 Prime (which is featured in the pictures heading the column) has a gas-only range of about 500 miles, 200 miles further than your article suggests as the maximum gas-only range for the car.
Er, the information you’re using is for batteries made a decade ago, not today. It takes a BEV using modern Lithium-Ion batteries 14-18k miles (and dropping) to pay off the difference in CO2 emissions to make the vehicle and battery. As more efficient Lithium fracking-like mining technologies are deployed and new battery chemistries that don’t use nickel or cobalt ( which require carbon-intensive hard-rock mining to retrieve), EVs will be able to pay back their carbon deficit in under 10k miles. After that, ICE vehicles can only fall behind.
Er, the information you’re using is for batteries made a decade ago, not today. It takes a BEV using modern Lithium-Ion batteries 14-18k miles (and dropping) to pay off the difference in CO2 emissions to make the vehicle and battery. As more efficient Lithium fracking-like mining technologies are deployed and new battery chemistries that don’t use nickel or cobalt ( which require carbon-intensive hard-rock mining to retrieve), EVs will be able to pay back their carbon deficit in under 10k miles. After that, ICE vehicles can only fall behind.
You left out one more advantage of EVs. The annual maintenance costs are much less than for a gas or diesel vehicle. And PHEVs have a motor just like any gas vehicle so they do not have this advantage of EVs.
The carbon footprint in mining is higher in mining for the ore used in producing batteries for these EV vehicles. The carbon footprint in the air is higher for gasoline/diesel powered vehicles. Solar is far cleaner than wind power, as electricity is required to run the generators that power the wind turbine–but ore is needed to be mined for the batteries to store the solar energy. So… it’s lose lose any way you look at it.
You’re damn if you do and you’re damn if you don’t.
Wait… What? “Electricity is required to run the generators that power the wind turbines?” Wind turbines ARE generators! They don’t use electricity, they produce it! You are very very VERY confused.
It really isn’t necessary to be so rude. That old saying can be applied here, ‘if you can’t say anything nice then don’t say anything at all’.
In my opinion, until 2021, buying an EV car is still the most stupid thing for the poor. What happens to the battery after the warranty expires? The cost of replacing the battery is almost half the price of a petrol car. Car charge time? each charge is $20 (Costco tesla model 3) where to repair? will the car last long as 300K miles or 25 year? No way!
Ev will last longer. Less moving parts. And how many battery failures have you heard about?
Do they sell Model 3s in Costco now? These gotta be some knockoffs…
As coal fired power plants are being phased out and are being replaced with wind and solar power ev vehicles will definitely reduce your carbon footprint. Many houses are running on solar power now so when you are charging at home you are reducing your carbon footprint. It seems that small minds can’t understand this concept.
Did your ‘Large’ mind think about the carbon footprint involved in the mining,manufaturing and disposal of the lithium batteries used in all solar/wind/electric powered cars and houses?
if you take this into account. the carbon foot print difference is nil or maybe worse. but ofcourse there is pros and cons on both sides. and hopefully technology will find new ways!
This may be a valid point for electric cars but solar powered homes that I know of don’t have batteries. They are plugged into the grid buying and selling electricity as they use and produce it. Instead of batteries they use existing infrastructure. No need to reinvent the wheel here.
I thought that there were E cars that were charged by driving. I want to consider an E car for Driving from ME to FL and for driving locally but it seems like there is just enough charge for me to get from the house to town and back. Is there not a better choice without having to purchase a plug in.
The EV uses all kinds of fuel, where do you think the electrical energy comes from? Depending on where you live, electricity is coming from a coal fired generator. So yes, your EV is running on coal and your carbon footprint is trasfered a few miles down the road, sorry. try thinking!
Just wondering if hybrid car engines and their entire systems are more complicated and harder to repair compared to engines powered by gasoline alone?
It depends on the hybrid system. The Toyota Hybrid system used in Prius, Camry, Avalon, Rav4, Sienna, and other non Truck Toyota vehicles is simpler in many ways. The transmission is a simple planetary gear drive system that ties the ICE and 2 electric motors to a single drive shaft. AWD adds a rear motor with no drive shaft needed front to back. There is no starter as it uses one of the electric motors to start the ICE. There is no generator since one the EV motors generate needed charge for the Hybrid battery and the 12v battery. The braking is mostly done by regenerative braking using one of the electric motors spinning in reverse and acting as a generator creating resistance for most of the stopping until the brakes grab at the final stage of stopping. This results in the brake pads/rotors lasting much longer due to significantly less friction wear and heat. There is no front drive belt as the AC and Brake system is all electric, and no generator. So not front belt, starter, generator, to be replaced and brakes that often last more that 100-120k miles. Most Toyota hybrid cars have as good or better reliability ratings than the ICE counterparts. The Rav4 Prime was rated better that the ICE and Hybrid Rav4s. So I would say for Toyota at least, the hybrid drive systems are complicated in terms of the computer management system which is well proven over 25 years of development. But as far as mechanical systems, there are parts that are simpler and some more complicated such as an added battery. Toyota batteries have been around long enough and there are repair shops that can refurbish by replacing cells that are losing capacity. The shop near us reports many repairs under $1000 for Prius’s with 200-300k on them (with a warranty) and over 15 years old in most cases. I can’t speak to the reliability of the other Hybrids or simplicity/complexity of their systems. You’d have to research the quality and youtube for the hybrid system explanations.
Hybrids are easier to power and charge, since they require both gasoline and plugging in. They have more range than electric cars, providing some peace of mind for drivers who do not want to suddenly run out of battery in the middle of nowhere. The most popular hybrid car models in the United States are Honda Accord Hybrid, Ford Fusion Hybrid, Toyota Avalon Hybrid, Toyota Prius V, and Hyundai Sonata Hybrid.
Electric cars, on the other hand, are often called cars of the future. They represent the new generation of car-making that emphasizes environmental consciousness, the thrill of ground-breaking technology and the good old coolness factor. Electric cars are hip; owning one puts the driver in a new category of a “green petrol head”. Electric cars require no gasoline, so you can forget about worrying about gas prices going up. The ever-expanding network of charging and supercharging stations in the U.S. means you will not have to worry about finding a spot to plug in either. Electric cars are pricey, but if you decide to invest in one, you will be eligible for a federal tax credit and an additional state tax credit, depending on where you live.
Source: https://www.emissions.org/a-hybrid-or-an-electric-car/
Plug-in hybrids combine petrol, diesel or alternative fueled engines with a battery and electric motor. Plugging into the mains electricity, allows for a longer range of electric-only power. The batteries have a greater storage capacity than an existinghybrid.which battries are best to use in electric cars is a great issue for electric car buyers these days. you can get help from here https://comparebox.pk/blog/which-batteries-are-best-among-hybrids-plug-ins-and-electric-cars
Nissan Leaf has 250 km range, bmw i3 300 km, tesla model s 450 km and the renult zoe 400 km. So, 70 miles is a bit of a incorrect statement.
Zombie man50 if you add extended range for full EV you should cobsider that the tesla battery alone costs $30k and the renault is a micro-car.
I agree that the biggest drawback to the plug-in hybrid is variety. That said, I think the value of the plug-in hybrid is often misunderstood by those who are new to the category. I own a 2015 Volt and have a daily commute of only 10 miles and almost all of my weekday and weekend daily use driving needs are well within the approximate 40 mile electric only range provided by the Volt. What the Volt does give me that is unique is the ability to use it for the occasional weekend road trip or to the airport while completely eliminating range anxiety to use it. Going full electric forces you into tailoring your driving experience around your next charge or into having / renting another vehicle for certain types of trips. I’m not saying that a plug-in hybrid is right for everyone, but I do think that the Volt and other plug-in hybrids are uniquely suited for someone with a relatively short daily commute / use need and the need to get some real use out of the vehicle when and if it is needed.