Is it worth buying a plug-in hybrid car? We tell you when it is

Electric mobility has become the main battleground brands use to position themselves in a booming market that keeps growing and gaining acceptance among users. But at some point we have to ask ourselves: do we really need a PHEV (plug-in hybrid) for our day-to-day use? And if we buy one… do we need a charger at home to use it properly, or are public chargers enough?

There is data showing the advantages of plug-in hybrid cars and when they start to pay off for the user. If that data doesn’t match our daily routine, it may not be advisable to get one of these cars. Let’s see when a plug-in hybrid car starts to pay off for the user.

Label 0

The plug-in hybrid car carries the DGT 0 label, so it is ideal for driving into the restricted zones of large European cities. To obtain this label it must have a fully electric range of at least 40 kilometres. This is achieved with a battery of around 9 kWh. Normal running of the car is not enough to charge that battery, so it has a connector to charge the battery.

Charging points

We won’t be wrong if we say that the best option is to have a battery charging point at home. It is the most convenient, the most economical, and what makes a plug-in hybrid car very worthwhile. If daily trips of around 50-100 kilometres are made, it is also very practical and economical, although the home installation may be somewhat costly at first.

If there is no charging point at home but there is a public one near home, that can also be very practical. In that case, you only need to drive up to it, and with a car of this type the charging time can be very short. So it can be very useful to have a plug-in hybrid car, since it can be recharged easily and practically.

The number of kilometres driven per day is also important. A plug-in hybrid can cover around 40 km in electric mode, which may be enough for city journeys. On the motorway, the electric motor kicks in at certain moments to avoid fuel consumption, and although you keep electric mode for city driving, it can help save on long journeys.

Price difference

The price is the big problem of hybrid and plug-in hybrid cars. A hybrid can cost more than a diesel car. It is a good way to save fuel, and that higher price can be offset by the fuel savings. In the case of a plug-in hybrid the price is much higher. The cost of the battery and the hybrid drive system makes the model considerably more expensive.

In addition, the maintenance of the mechanical part of a plug-in hybrid is the same as any other car with a combustion engine, so there is no considerable saving on that side either. A plug-in hybrid can cost around 30,000 euros, a figure far above a similar model with a combustion engine.

You have to weigh how it will be used, the charging options, the estimated petrol consumption it may produce, and other variables to see whether you will really get the full performance out of a plug-in hybrid. And now that you know, would you buy a PHEV?