Plug-in hybrids are a compelling option for those who want to go electric without giving up the security of a gas engine. Though they can be pricey compared to traditional hybrids, they make a great all-purpose vehicle that comes with some extra gas savings and eco-friendly peace of mind.What Is a PHEV?Unlike a traditional hybrid, which intertwines gas and electric power, PHEVs can travel a certain number of miles on pure battery power in addition to having a full gas tank for backup. That means commuting and errands could be run without ever requiring gas, and the range anxiety that can come with longer trips doesn’t apply. The battery charges through an external port, more like a full EV than a basic hybrid, in which a much smaller battery auto-recharges.The most popular PHEV in the United States is the Jeep Wrangler 4xe. It starts at $49,999 with just a 22-mile range. Luckily, there are many PHEVs available at a lower price with an even higher electric range. Here are our top picks.
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Price: $32,975Electric Range: 39 miles (XSE and XSE Premium), 44 for SEGas Tank: 10.6 gallonsFederal Tax Eligible? No, but check state creditsAfter unveiling the newly designed Prius Prime in 2023, Toyota is back with an updated version for 2024. It continues to offer among the highest highest electric ranges on the list, at 39-44 miles depending on the trim, and it is the most affordable. The battery recharges in four hours on a level 2 charger (240 volt), or 11 hours on the level 1 charger Toyota includes with purchase (120 volt, standard wall outlet). Inside, passengers enjoy all the tech creature comforts: Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless charging, six USB-C ports, and a 12.3-inch infotainment touch screen. A “digital key” means the car will recognize an authorized smartphone as it approaches the vehicle, and you can lock and unlock it remotely. To keep the tech up to date, Toyota can now perform over-the-air updates.A few notable self-driving features also stand out. The car parallel parks for you at the push of a button. On the highway, lane assist helps keep you in the lane, while the Traffic Jam Assist feature operates the gas pedal in stop-and-go situations between 0 and 25mph. These features, and many others, come standard on all trim levels.On the premium model, you can add a panoramic moonroof with embedded solar panels, which recharge the battery when parked and deliver supplemental power to accessory functions like air conditioning when driving.
If you’re looking for something larger than the Prius Prime, the Kia Niro is an affordable, feature-rich SUV. It has a solid 33-mile all-electric range and comes in two trims, the EX ( $34,390) and pricier SX Touring ($40,140). Both have a 10.25-inch touch screen that’s compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Five USB ports are sprinkled throughout the vehicle, and the car has wireless charging options as well.With the Kia app, you can unlock/lock your car, set the temperature before you get in, see your vehicle’s location, and manage battery charging.All trims come with many self-driving assists, including lane keeping, collision avoidance, blind spot warnings, smart cruise control, and nudges to keep you in the lane.The pricier trim brings some welcome upgrades like a heated steering wheel, power sunroof, bigger tires, a more advanced sound system, and a quieter ride.
There’s a lot to like with the sporty Hyundai Tucson Plug-In Hybrid SUV, but it’s currently only available in 15 states: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Nevada, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington. The Tucson has a roomy cabin that seats five. It comes in two trims, the SEL ($38,725) and Limited ($45,450). They are largely the same, though the Limited comes with more advanced headlights and tail lights, sporty exterior accents, a panoramic sunroof, leather seats, heated seats, and so on. The gauge cluster behind the wheel is just 4.2 inches on the base model and 10.25 on the Limited trim. You’ll get wireless charging on both, plus USB ports sprinkled throughout the cabin. Both offer keyless entry and remote entry for authorized users. Self-driving perks include forward collision warnings, emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, and lane-keeping assist. The Limited trim comes with remote parking, rear occupancy alert, and parking collision alerts.
The Kia Sportage Plug-In Hybrid SUV is a roomier, more premium option compared to the Kia Niro Plug-In (Kia also offers the top-tier Sorento Plug-In Hybrid for $50,290). It has all-wheel drive (unlike the Niro), a slightly larger gas tank, and roughly double the horsepower. The Sportage PHEV can tow up to 2,000 pounds and has an extra bit of torque and cargo capacity compared to the Niro as well. That said, both models have five seats and excellent tech and infotainment systems. The Sportage features a 12.3-inch display with built-in navigation, SiriusXM, and Kia Connect. It’s compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.A suite of self-driving features come standard, including lane-keeping and lane follow assists, blind-spot monitor, and collision avoidance. The premium trim (X-Line Prestige, $44,090) has a few more automated features, including remote parking, highway driving, and surround view monitors. It also comes with ventilated seats, interior mood lighting, a premium sound system, and a larger instrument display behind the wheel.
The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV has the most seats (seven), the second-highest electric-only miles (38), and the biggest gasoline tank (14.8 gallons) among cars on this list. It’s also the only one that supports fast charging, making it a serious contender. It can power up in just 38 minutes via its CCS port, or in a few hours at home on a level 2 charger. On the downside, it has the lowest combined fuel efficiency at 64MPGe.It comes in five trims, the ES ($40,345), SE ($42,995), SEL ($46,295), SEL Black Edition ($48,795), and Platinum Edition ($50,345). The fast charging capability only comes with the SEL trim and above. On the base model, you’ll get a 12.3-inch dash, 18-inch wheels, automatic headlights, multiple drive modes, and a twin motor. All trims are compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay via a wireless connection. Pricier trims add wireless chargers, heated seats, leather surfaces, and the MI-PILOT automated driving assists for highways.
Price: $40,500 ($36,750 after federal tax credit, info below)Electric Range: 37 milesFuel Tank: 11.1 gallonsFederal Tax Credit Eligible? Yes, $3,750Ford’s Escape Plug-In Hybrid SUV is the only one on the list that qualifies for a federal tax credit, in the amount of $3,750. For buyers whose income does not exceed eligibility for the credit (see details), that brings the price back down to $36,750.The Escape PHEV seats five and has a 13.2-inch touch screen with built-in navigation, SiriusXM, CarPlay, Android Auto, and the FordPass Connect 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot.The Escape has solid fuel efficiency (105MPGe) and self-driving safety features, like adaptive cruise control, speed sign recognition, pre-collision assist, automated braking, pedestrian detection, lane keeping, and cross-traffic/blind spot alert. It has heated front seats (sorry, backseat passengers) and some extra towing power at 1,500 pounds (compared 849 pounds on the Kia Niro, for example).
Additional ConsiderationsThe next five to 10 years will tell us if PHEVs are a bridge to a fully electric future. They’ll either fall by the wayside as EV adoption increases or become a solid category on their own.For now, they’re an excellent in-between option for some buyers, though there are factors you may want to take into account as you’re choosing between a basic hybrid, PHEV, full EV, or sticking with a gas-powered vehicle.Plug-In Hybrids vs. Fully Electric: Which Is Cheaper?Fully battery-powered cars are pricier than gas-powered ones, primarily because of their gigantic batteries. By that logic, PHEVs would be cheaper given their smaller batteries, but that’s not generally the case for a simple reason.
(Credit: Subaru)
PHEVs have two powertrains—gas and battery-powered—making them expensive to engineer and produce. In the image above, note the flat battery pack in the back and the engine in the front. A full EV has just a battery, though it’s much larger and often spans most of the chassis space between the four wheels. With no engine, full EVs have fewer parts than gas vehicles and are easier to maintain, but PHEVs are more complex and still have all the gas engine parts in addition to the EV bits.Do PHEVs Qualify for Tax Incentives?
Ford Escape connected dash screen (Credit: Ford)
There are various federal and state incentives that can deduct thousands of dollars from the cost of the vehicle and a home charger. This is a clear benefit of PHEVs, which get lumped in with EVs when it comes to tax credits since they’re both plug-ins. On the flip side, it’s costlier to register an EV in some states. The federal tax credit offers up to $7,500 for qualifying vehicles, and multiple states and counties offer their own incentives. For example, Arizona, Illinois, and others offer hundreds to thousands of dollars off home charger installation in addition to some vehicle costs.Unfortunately, only the Ford Escape PHEV from this list qualifies for the federal tax credit—and just half ($3,750). The other qualifying vehicles are in a slightly higher price range. See the full list at fueleconomy.gov and below.
A handful of PHEVs qualify for the federal tax credit in 2024. (Credit: fueleconomy.gov)
How Do You Charge a PHEV?
Jeep Wrangler 4xe PHEV charge port (Credit: Emily Dreibelbis)
PHEVs have a special port where you can plug in a charger, just like plugging something into a wall outlet, but on a car. All electric vehicles will come with a level 1 charger, which will charge a PHEV battery in about five hours (or 10-20 hours for a full EV). Level 2 chargers are a faster home option, as they cut the time down to around two hours for a PHEV and four for a full EV. For more information on home charger installation, see our explainer. Do PHEVs Support Fast Charging?
Tesla level 3 fast charging stations in a grocery store parking lot. (Credit: Emily Dreibelbis)
After level 1 and level 2 charging, the third level is fast or “DC” (direct current) charging. Almost no PHEVs allow fast charging; the Mitsubishi Outlander is the only PHEV on this list that supports fast charging, and only on the pricier trims.This is because most PHEVs have a typical J1772 plug, and fast charging requires a more advanced hookup. It’s similar to a wall outlet that has two or three prongs, with the three-prong variation being more powerful. For more information on charging plug types, see our explainer. Before you write off PHEVs for this reason, keep in mind that fast charging is something you want to do rarely with any EV for a few reasons:We’ve found in multiple studies that fast chargers cost about as much as filling up at the gas tank (unless you are in a state with very high gas prices), while charging at home is significantly cheaper.Very few EVs fast charge daily, as they are not installed in homes. They are exclusively publicly owned and often found near highways for quick pit stops.Fast charging takes 30 to 45 minutes (or about one hour in cold weather), which is the speediest option, but still requires more time than filling up a gas tank. Since a PHEV has a gas tank in addition to the battery, you can skip charging altogether on longer trips if you’re on a tight schedule.If you’re deciding between a PHEV and EV, you can learn more about the differences between them here and check out some affordable EVs under $40,000.
