PHEV vs. HEV: Hybrid Cars Explained | What is a Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle?

PHEV vs. HEV – which electrified car makes sense for you?

A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) is a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) you can plug in to charge. Hybrids offer the eco-friendliness of an EV without the range anxiety. With the ability to fill the battery from a charging plug and the gas engine, PHEVs offer an even more compelling automotive package.

With many different hybrids on sale, it’s not just eco- or budget-conscious buyers joining the electrified market. Today’s hybrids come in every size, style and price range. Hybrid powertrains are everywhere because they’ve advanced to offer something for everyone.

So, do you want a hybrid with the ability to add some extra charge from a plug? Or does a standard gas-electric hybrid work for your needs? Find out how they work, how they perform on the road and what kind of range to expect.

Understanding HEVs: Hybrid Electric Vehicles

For many drivers, hybrids make a lot more sense than battery electric vehicles (BEVs) because they keep the gasoline engine around for additional range and flexibility. 

 

The formula for a hybrid electric vehicle is simple: take your typical gasoline car, add one or more electric motors and drop in a high-voltage battery. A hybrid’s powertrain puts the electric motor somewhere between the engine and the wheels, so it can step in to send electric power through the drivetrain. The electric motor adds to the gas engine when the engine would otherwise need to run inefficiently, so the combo saves plenty of fuel. 

 

When you press the accelerator in some hybrids, the vehicle might use either mode of propulsion to take off. Or, it might even use both at once for maximum power. The electric motor often helps when starting from a full stop because electric motors provide nearly instant torque, allowing for a quick and smooth takeoff. 

While cruising on the highway, hybrids typically use the gas engine since it can run efficiently at steady, low RPM (revolutions per minute). In different situations, like when creeping along slowly through a parking lot, some hybrids use the electric engine only because it can easily handle low-power manoeuvres. Many hybrids prefer the electric engine up to a certain speed in an effort to maximize fuel economy and reduce emissions. 

 

The gas engine acts as a generator to charge the hybrid’s battery. It can run at idle, sending all its energy to the battery, or it might send just a portion to the electrochemical cells as it powers the car down the street. 

 

In fact, hybrids don’t even always need the engine to charge the battery. Just the momentum of the car itself can be recaptured and stored for later. Hybrid batteries get a substantial amount of their charge from regenerative braking. 

Slow down: What is regenerative braking?

While they don’t get the headlines like batteries do, regenerative braking systems play an immense part in the global effort to reduce transportation emissions and increase efficiency. Regenerative braking systems tap into the friction needed to slow down a car, using it to create electricity instead of just getting turned into heat (and brake dust) coming off the brake pads and rotors.

In addition to the brake pads clamping down on the rotors when you push the brake pedal, the electric motor stops turning forward because it’s not needed to propel the car as it slows. Instead, the spinning parts inside the electric motor switch direction. The wheels are then spinning the electric motor instead of being spun by it, and the drag created by those spinning electric motor parts helps slow down the wheels’ rotation.

Through the science of electromagnetism, this rotational energy becomes electrical energy inside the motor and is then stored in the hybrid’s battery. Kinetic energy (the car slowing down) becomes potential energy (in the battery).

In quick and simple terms: Regenerative braking turns slowing power into going power. It can even enable one-pedal driving in some vehicles. It also reduces brake wear substantially since the regen system takes on so much of the braking needs. That saves money on maintenance and reduces pollution from brake dust and worn-out parts.

Exploring PHEVs: Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles have a charging plug that allows them to add range to the battery from an external source, unlike standard hybrids that rely on the engine and regenerative braking only. PHEVs typically have larger batteries than standard hybrids, and can also travel farther in battery-only mode. 

They can be driven like a standard hybrid —never plugged in, only filled at the pump — and they still get fantastic fuel efficiency. Or they can be driven like an EV — skipping the pump — if they travel under 50-100 kilometres between charges. Of course, most people find a balance between gas station fill-ups and charge stations at home, work, parking garages, shopping centres or elsewhere.

Plug-ins give drivers the luxury of choice to top up the battery if charging is convenient, but the easy refuelling and long-distance range of gasoline.

Hybrids have advanced the automotive industry toward more sustainable fuels by enabling more drivers to supplement gas with electricity. Yet it’s the plug-in hybrid that’s really ushering in the electrified transportation revolution. They account for about a third of electrified vehicle sales but, more interestingly, are seeing their sales rise faster than EVs. Due to the larger battery, PHEVs might add a bit of weight and cost, but the added range and ability to charge from the plug outweigh those downsides for most drivers.

Comparing HEVs vs. PHEVs: How to choose

PHEVs typically have larger batteries than HEVs, so they can take advantage of being able to charge up from the plug. This gives them a longer battery-only range, since there’s more juice on board to go the distance. While an EV-only - capable hybrid might be out of electricity after fewer than 50 kilomet res, a PHEV might go twice as far before the gas engine kicks in.

That leads to the main difference in driving a PHEV vs. an HEV, which is more time in electric mode. Otherwise, you likely won’t notice much difference if you test-drive a hybrid and plug-in hybrid version of the same car.

If you already have a charger because of another EV in the garage, a PHEV will also maximize the investment you made to get that installed. If you have home solar power, that can be another reason to go PHEV. While installing a home charger or lining up regular access to one is a great way to maximize the benefits of a PHEV, it’s not necessary.

PHEVs increase the benefits of hybrids and expand the environmental impact exponentially since the added electricity from the plug reduces the need for gasoline even further. With the increase in charging stations and sustainable energy sources, PHEVs make even more environmental sense.

In Canada’s plans to phase out gasoline vehicles in favour of zero-emission models by 2035, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles offer the ideal blend of EV and internal combustion engine (ICE). Those plans include more charging stations across the country, amplifying the benefits of having a hybrid with a pluggable battery. Governments and manufacturers are both making it easier to enter the electrified car market with incentives, rebates and offers that bring the cost of a PHEV down, too. Canada’s Incentive for Zero-Emission Vehicles (iZEV) program can take up to $5,000 off the cost of a PHEV.

Get electrified

Plug-in hybrids offer all the benefits of electrification and internal combustion, with the added bonus of being able to top off the tank and the battery for extra electric-only range. The best plug-ins offer not only efficiency, but also room for adventure and spirited driving dynamics —  discover the  Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV.

From PHEVs to BEVs, it’s good to understand the options. From charging to costs and everything in between, we’re covering all the bases of how to distinguish what type of EV vehicle is right for you.