On top of that, a plug-in hybrid frees one from tightly planning every drive down to the last electron in the battery. But everyone cares about money, and plug-in hybrids demand less of it at the gas pump.įor short commutes, it’s possible to completely eliminate engine use altogether - especially if one can charge the car while at work. Granted, not everyone cares about emissions. Among other benefits, this reduces emissions. However, a PHEV uses the engine even less than the so-called “traditional hybrids.” Whether the car is a series or parallel hybrid, plugging in the car means the car doesn’t need to recharge itself with its engine as much as a hybrid that can’t plug into anything. Most notably, the engine doesn’t waste fuel while idling. The engine only runs if it’s actually doing something for the car. Calling the Ram an ' electric truck with a range extender” instead of a plug-in hybrid allows Stellantis to avoid the dreaded “H-word” that would make people associate their burly truck with a Prius.īy now, everyone knows that hybrids (plug-in or not) use the engine more efficiently than traditional engine-powered vehicles. While the Ford F-150 Lightning made electric vehicles look cool to those who thought a Tesla would destroy their manliness, so far no automaker has managed to make hybrids similarly brawny-looking. Series PHEVs are often sold as EVs with “range extenders.” Stellantis is doing this in the advertising copy for their hybrid Ram trucks. Only the electric motor is connected to the wheels.

The engine is not connected to the wheels, but instead powers a generator that charges the battery. Essentially, it’s an EV that can charge itself with its own engine. A series plug-in hybrid (also called an extended-range EV) is an electric car with a gasoline engine that charges the battery while driving. There are two types of plug-in hybrids: series and parallel. A plug-in hybrid vehicle (or PHEV) is exactly what the name suggests: a hybrid car that can be plugged in for charging.

What is a plug in hybrid vehicle