Quote:
Originally Posted by touraccuracy
I've just started looking at plug-in hybrids, I'm definitely not a car person, and was wondering:
Are the gas tanks smaller in plug-in hybrids typically or is the car much heavier? Like is the gas range much lower than if it was just an all-gas version of the same model?
Do you need to make any modification to your outlet or can you just use a regular outlet (understanding that it'd be slower than a properly upgraded outlet)? Like is the plug just a regular 3 prong plug that fits into a normal wall outlet and that would provide enough juice to charge overnight?
Looking at the Tucson and RAV4 currently. My only remaining concern is if I move and no longer have a garage. I have a garage right now but it's a rental and I understand that might not last forever. Not sure what I'd do if I had a condo or a place with street-only parking.
The government rebates almost completely cover the cost of the plug in upgrade, so it seems like an easy win when taking into account the gas savings.
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For the weight and range there isn't one single answer that applies to all models as the implementation of the technology varies, but the general trend is that hybrids and PHEVs often have longer ranges than pure gas equivalents because even though the hyrbid technology adds weight and they sometimes do use smaller gas tanks, hybrids (of both types) tend to use significantly less gas. The weight penalty is often only a few hundred lbs which isn't a large percentage of the vehicle weight, while the fuel economy is better due to the regenerative braking (mainly in town) and due to various efficiency treatments such as more aerodynamic tires and body work. On the highway, aerodynamics often has a greater effect on fuel efficiency than weight.
There are some hybrids that have among the highest gas ranges you can get in any vehicle. Regardless, while there is variation between models I don't recall seeing a hybrid model with a significantly lower range and certainly none that are lower than typically expected compared to regular ICE cars. However, one thing to be cautious of when choosing a hybrid is to understand what, if any, limitation there are on storage capacity. Some hybrids - particularly those based on regular ICE models - can give up some storage capacity or flexibility (like fold down seats) to make room for the battery. This isn't an issue with all models though.
In terms of the charging, all PHEVs (like many full electric cars) can be charged from a standard outlet. Most if not all can also be charged on a level 2, 240v outlet, but many can't be level 3 rapid charged. Depending on the battery size, a standard wall plug should recharge a PHEV overnight, depending on what your definition of overnight is. You'll have a better selection if you're willing to wait say 13 hrs compared to 8 or 10. Remember also that charging tends to be fastest below 80% and slows down significantly when almost full. So there's more than just total charging time to consider.
Anyway, hope that helps!
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