Plug-in hybrid
Hybrid vehicle whose battery may be externally charged / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:
Can you list the top facts and stats about Plug-in hybrids?
Summarize this article for a 10 year old
A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) is a type of hybrid electric vehicle equipped with a rechargeable battery pack that can be replenished by connecting a charging cable into an external electric power source, in addition to internally by its on-board internal combustion engine-powered generator. While PHEVs are predominantly passenger cars, there are also plug-in hybrid variants of sports cars, commercial vehicles, vans, utility trucks, buses, trains, motorcycles, mopeds, military vehicles and boats.[3]
This article needs to be updated. (December 2023) |
Similar to battery electric vehicles (BEVs), plug-in hybrids can use centralized generators of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind or hydroelectric) to be largely emission-free, or a fossil plant in which case they displace greenhouse gas emissions from the car tailpipe exhaust to the power station. As opposed to conventional hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), PHEVs generally have a larger battery pack that can be charged from the power grid, offering enhanced efficiency and cost-effectiveness when compared to relying solely on the on-board generator. Additionally, PHEVs often have a more powerful electric output, enabling longer and more frequent all-electric range driving, helping to reduce operating costs. Although a PHEV's battery pack is smaller than that of all-electric vehicles of the same weight, as it must accommodate its combustion engine and hybrid drivetrain, it provides the added flexibility of reverting to the use of its gasoline/diesel engine, akin to a conventional HEV if the battery charge is depleted. This feature helps alleviate range anxiety, particularly in areas lacking sufficient charging infrastructure.
Mass-produced PHEVs have been available to the public in China and the United States since 2010,[4][5][6] with the introduction of the Chevrolet Volt which was the best selling PHEV until the end of production in 2019.[citation needed] By the end of 2017, there were over 40 models of highway-legal series-production PHEVs for retail sales, and are available mainly in China, Japan, the United States, Canada and Western Europe. The top-selling models are the Mitsubishi Outlander P-HEV, the Chevrolet Volt family and the Toyota Prius PHV.[7]
As of December 2019[update], the global stock of PHEVs totalled 2.4 million units, representing one-third of the stock of plug-in electric passenger cars on the world's roads.[8] As of December 2019[update], China had the world's largest stock of PHEVs with 767,900 units, followed by the United States with 567,740, and the United Kingdom with 159,910.[8]