Plug-in hybrid (PHEV)

A plug-in hybrid carries a battery of typically 10–25 kWh (larger in recent Chinese models) that can be charged from an external source, plus a petrol or diesel engine. It drives electrically for short trips, commonly 40–100 km on the WLTP cycle, and switches to hybrid operation when the battery is depleted. Unlike a conventional hybrid (HEV), whose battery is charged only by the engine and braking, a PHEV can substitute grid electricity for fuel.

The climate value of a PHEV depends entirely on how often it is charged. Real-world studies by the ICCT and Fraunhofer ISI (2020–2022) found average electric driving shares of roughly 45–50% for private cars and 11–15% for company cars in Europe, against much higher official utility factors, so real fuel consumption was often 2–4 times the type-approval value. The EU tightened its utility-factor assumptions from 2025 in response.

Variants include range-extended EVs (EREV), in which the engine only generates electricity, a configuration popular in China. PHEVs are heavier and more complex than either a BEV or a conventional car, but remove range anxiety where fast-charging infrastructure is sparse.