Used plug-in hybrid electric cars - Everything you need to know about used PHEVs / Electrifying

With concerns about range and charging, deciding to get behind the wheel of an electric car isn’t straightforward for everyone. And that’s where plug-in hybrid electric car, or PHEVs, come in. They offer a convenient first step towards more electric miles.

But what actually are they? How often do you have to plug in, and are they better than normal hybrids or full EVs? This is your guide when buying used.

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[LifeVlogsbyChamika]

We got an Outlander PHEV and we use it regularly charged. Therefore most of the time our journeys are in EV mode only. When going longer journeys, you can use the EV range upto 30-35km with regen and then the ICE will kick in. However if you're driving on a highway or an expressway in a higher speed, you can charge the battery using your engine. Hence, you'll get another 10 - 15 kms on EV drive mode. So far, majority of my long journeys also have shown around 50% EV driving which suggests that it's doing its purpose of existence.

[petershorney]

I have an Audi PHEV, bought used. Electric range covers all my daily trips. Charging costs broadly 10% of petrol equivalent. 500 mile trips a doddle giving >50mpg. I can't afford a new BEV so this really works for me.

[ColinCarFan]

Congratulations!! This is the most balanced, accurate and sensible review of PHEV's I have seen in my near 6 years of owning the outlander PHEV. I wanted to buy a pure electric vehicle back in 2017, but there were none that could sensibly tow. It has been a great car with no issues in 60k miles and about 1/3 of this is electric, with an overall average of 50mpg (40mpg when on a long motorway journey).

[roelvanes]

Love our XC40 T5 hybrid. A lot of our trips are largely electric, but longer trips run hybrid. We've averaged over 100mpg with several 250 mile return journeys over the last 6k miles. Best of both worlds, just needs plugging in every night to make sense. Oh, and it saves a fortune in BIK...

[iantrott]

I’m a wheelchair user and have my vehicles on the Motability scheme. I had a Leaf from 2015 to 2019, it was excellent and I covered 56, 000 in it; but when I had to change Motability were no long offering any suitable EV’s, I need a big boot for my wheelchair.

So in April 2019 I went for an Outlander PHEV on the Motability scheme. I use it mostly as an EV, so lots of charging, it’s been an excellent car.

Since April 2019 I’ve covered just over 20, 000 miles and I’ve averaged a genuine 238.6 mpg over this time, way better than the official figures. I can often get over 4 miles per kWh out of it.

The ability for it to rapid charge makes a big difference.

It’s such a shame that Mitsubishi are pulling out of the UK as the replacement look promising!

[riccotube]

Bought a 20 plate Kia Niro Phev last week which still has 6 years of the warranty remaining and was cheaper than many diesel rivals with lesser warranties.
I drive mostly around town and I am getting 40 miles on a full charge which is impressive, as is my driving prowess 😀

[pauld]

A good video.

I bought a used PHEV even though I couldn't overnight charge where I lived.

However, there are some public chargers nearby so those help.

I didn't have a worry about range when I took it 600 miles for vacation (plugged in every night while there and didn't burn a drop of gasoline for that week) and I have cut my fuel use for the work week commute in half because I can charge up at the office.

At the end of an eight hour work day, the wall plug has been sufficient for the battery to be full.

[BHBeckenbauer]

Great video as always!

I have a 330e and I’m really impressed with it. Over 75% of my mileage so far has been covered by the electric range, and once the lease is up Im swapping to full EV 👏

[Uxbridgehorn]

My experience is the same as other PHEV owners who posted here, (I have owned a Golf GTE for six years). I have done over 90% of my mileage, (I don't do a great deal), on battery only. If I check my mpg after a couple of months driving, the figure BEATS VW's predicted mpg figure. About once a year I drive from London to the North West to visit relatives and then I use the 1400cc engine, (until I get to my sister's to "steal" her electricity). Even then, the "gas" mileage isn't astronomical. Some think we live in a binary world with only "good" and the "bad". In reality it isn't "one size fits all" but whatever suits your situation best. I tire of people highlighting how buying a PHEV is just towing a heavy electric motor and battery pack around - for some of us it isn't. It's a practical, workable solution. If only they weren't so hideously expensive to buy but then again...seen the price of a Tesla?

[richardmccombs]

I have grand kids that are 400+ mile trip. The rest of my family is with 25 miles. The Prius prime does this all well. My winter house is 1400 miles away and I do this in a 2 day trip, full electric would push this to three days. Then I live in the USA and we have states that are bigger than many countries so its a different world. At least we got rid of the guy who wanted is to burn coal in our cars.

[wobby]

I agree for those who are nervous of pure electric then a plug in hybrid is a good stepping stone, although I drive a Kia E Niro and it’s brilliant.

[Daniel-Condurachi]

We also went on this path. We bought a BMW 225xe which is a plug-in hybrid that's 4x4 when needed and does 100km/h in 6.5 seconds. We like it and enjoy daily gasoline free rides to get the kids to school and back in the middle of the city, in horrible traffic

[Ezzeenow]

Just bought a used Clarity plug in. It's working out great so far. Work is only 3 miles away so I'm only using the electric motor. I figure I'll be charging about once a week. Don't know when I'll ever see a gas station 😀

[melwatson]

I love my Outlander Phev. Mostly do short journeys, keep it fully charged and use the regen braking to save electricity (something you forgot to mention). This can actually add electric miles during the journey. I'm thinking of upgrading, but will not be going full electric, as you suggest. I want the option, when there are power cuts or the government deem me not a good enough citizen and cut me off!!

[roberthunter]

PHEVs are almost essential in Australia due to low population sizes and VERY large distances. Although charging stations are being rolled out, the sheer number of stations required to fully support dedicated EV is astronomical. You will probably find charging stations in urban areas and some popular regional locations, but that is about it.
Many people have family and friends, or business requirements that mean at least some country travel is required. People who live in rural areas often have to travel into a city for things like specialist medical care, or other goods and services not often covered in the smaller towns.

[lewisjohnston]

Now that is originality in subject matter, well done for taking the time to cover it. Important information to consider if you are thinking of buying one.

[davidtaylor]

I've got a Hyundai Ioniq plugin as company car. Didn't know what to do with it at first was very anti How could it ever work for me....?
I charge every night on 3 pin plug. On octopus go tarrif 50p per night.
Between my wife and I we are running at about 5p per mile combined fuel and electric cost 800-900 miles on a tank of fuel and charging most nights.
Company car tax really cheap. It's a win win for me. Not quite ready for electric but defo a brilliant stepping point

[louisvl]

Got an A3 e-tron (called TFSI-e today) 2016 in Jan. 2019 with 46k km. Driven it to 220k km today. 0 issues to report and averaging in grand total 49 mpg, charging it once every day. Still running the factory brake pads!! Only the high voltage battery had a leak or something which was apparently a known defect and part of a recall, which I wouldn't even have known if the dealer didn't tell me, right before I surpassed the max mileage for the battery warranty! They replaced the whole battery free of charge, meaning I got a fresh battery for it. I do my best to take care of the car and follow the manufacturer's maintenance schedule, not driving it hard when cold, waiting to hit a long road where I'll be driving at a steady higher speed to start the petrol engine in ideal conditions at steady light load and babying the automatic clutch. Driven hard maybe 5% to max 10% of the time. Would recommend any day!

[alexclothier]

I think they are the best all-rounder at the moment. I have personally had 2 (currently a Volvo S90 T8) and until electric cars can do more than 350-400 miles reliably I will carry on buying PHEVs

[jonathantaylor]

An excellent and informative video, Wookie - thank you for putting this out there.
However, as a BEV driver, I'm on the "I get really incensed by PHEVs" side of this...!
Sorry... but at least let me explain.
This topic came up on another channel, so I did a bit of research and came up with the following (though, I now can't remember the exact numbers I found online, so this is a bit of 'paraphrasing' if you will...)
I compared 2 'typical' company rep cars - the BMW 320d Auto and the BMW 330e PHEV Auto.
As a past company rep myself, I would drive anything up to around 600 miles per week - 95% on motorways, as you'd imagine.
Based on that mileage, the 330e would've managed approximately 150 miles (30 miles x 5 days) on electric, then the remaining 450 miles per week on petrol - at, according to driver 'testimonial' I found online, about 40 mpg = 11.25 gallons of fuel per week, whilst pumping out approximately 169g/km of CO2 during petrol-only usage based on that mpg figure = 121, 680 grams of CO2 pumped out each week.
Meanwhile, the 320d does the entire 600 miles on diesel, at around 55mpg = 10.90 gallons of fuel, whilst pumping out 122g/km of CO2 = 117, 120 grams of CO2 pumped out each week.
So, I totally agree that, for most low mileage, private users who have the time to - and are willing to - plug in each night to recharge, PHEVs can make a great used car.
But, since BIK advantages pretty well ensure that the vast majority of PHEVs will end up in the, usually time-restricted, "can't be ar*ed" company rep brigade, in my humble opinion, I honestly believe PHEVs will be the environmental "time bomb" that no one saw coming... just like diesel in the 80s... :-(