Video: What You Need to Know About Plug-In Hybrids

 

The news is flooded with articles about the rise of plug-in hybrids. With charging anxiety on the rise, many see plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) as, at least the short-term answer to electrification while the charging infrastructure gets sorted out. 

As automakers increase their PHEV lineup or like in GM's case, revive the technology, there's a knowledge gap on what exactly is a PHEV and how it fits into the lives of its owners. Sure you can plug it in, but where and what are the benefits of the technology over just owning a gas-only, hybrid, or electric vehicle. 

 

The Basics

Plug-in hybrids are exactly what the name implies. A vehicle that's a hybrid of a gas engine and electric motor. A battery pack and gas tank store energy and the result is higher than average miles per gallon but also something far more important, extended electric-only range. 

That electric-only range is the main selling point of a PHEV. With it, drivers can travel 30 to 50 miles on battery power without dipping into the gas tank. According to the Department of Transportation, the average person drives 37 miles a day. If their PHEV offers an electric-only range above that number, they're not only reducing their impact on air quality, but also saving money. 

To enjoy these benefits, the vehicle must be plugged in. A regular hybrid which gets its energy via regenerative braking and from the gas engine doesn't have a plug. Because of that it also doesn't offer the benefit of extended electric-only range. 

So if you have a PHEV, plug it in. 

Charging

One issue with PHEVs is that while there are more and more charging stations they don't all work with plug-in hybrids. Most PHEVs have the J1772 plug which is commonly known as the level 2 charging port. It works with home chargers and slower-level chargers out in the world. The increasingly more common and much quicker CCS charging stations out in the wild, it won't connect to a PHEV. The additional DC fast-charging elements on the plug make charging a PHEV at one of these stations a no-go. 

Fortunately, the benefit of the PHEV is that while you're on-the-go, if the battery is depleted, there's an established gas station infrastructure that'll keep the vehicle on the road. 

Technology

There are two types of plug-in hybrids. There's the parallel system. The wheels are powered by either the Gas Engine or the electric motors via mechanical coupling or maybe the gas engine runs one set tires and the hybrid runs the other. It's how a majority of PHEVs work. 

Then there's the series set up where the wheels are run only by the electric motor and the gas engine acts as a generator. The upcoming Ram 1500 Ramcharger hybrid. The wheels will be powered by an electric motor.  When the battery is depleted it will be recharged on the go by a V6 gas engine. That truck is will have an estimated electric-only range of 145 miles. So during regular driving, it's unlikely it'll dip into the gas tank. When the driver wants to tow a trailer, that V6 is going to make sure the truck and trailer get to their destination. 

If you're not ready for the world of pure electrification, PHEVs offer a set of gas-powered training wheels. A majority of the time the vehicle will run on electric power with the gas engine there as a safety net. But the number one rule of PHEVs is, you have to plug it in.