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The Best of Both Worlds
We’ve talked about what EV is and how I can work for you, but what if you’re not ready for the change to full EV? What other solutions are there? This is where Plug-In hybrid comes in. The infamous RAV4 is a hybrid vehicle, and is an ideal family car. Toyota have now released it as a Plug-In Hybrid. So, what’s the difference? A standard hybrid vehicle houses a petrol combustion engine with a small battery that charges from regenerative braking. This means that standard hybrid vehicles can run small amounts of the journey on electric, making journeys more economical.
A Plug-In Hybrid is similar to a standard hybrid, but it houses a large battery for a longer charge. Like EV, you charge the battery by using a wall box/at home charger. However, once the battery has been has run out of charge it then operates as a standard hybrid vehicle.
This powertrain could be ideal for those frequent longer journeys, or motorway driving, in comparison to an EV which could work better as a commuting vehicle. With a Plug-In hybrid, you can run up to 46 miles on pure electric in a RAV4 Plug-In. Once the battery is depleted, it then runs as a standard hybrid vehicle. On average using a mixture of the petrol engine and battery, you could achieve up to 150mpg on a journey.
The All-New C-HR has recently been launched, which has initially been released as a hybrid, however it is now available to order with a plug-in powertrain. Housing a 2.0 litre engine, this vehicle can hold up to 41 miles of charge and offers the versatility of running on both the electric charge and the petrol engine. It’s an ideal family SUV with stand-out looks and a comfortable drive. The hybrid and plug-in hybrid technology also makes the drive economical, with the plug-in hybrid having a fuel consumption of up to 353.1mpg*.
Back to the UK later this year is the Prius Plug-In hybrid. Powered by a 2.0 litre engine, and a 13.6kWh lithium-ion battery, providing up to 53.4 miles of EV range. Due to the increase in range, you’ll be able to do most day-day driving on full EV, including your commute. Using just the EV charge means that it’s cheap to run, particularly if you have an at-home charger with an overnight tariff. You can charge for less than 10p/kWh. And if you need to brave any longer journeys, once the electric charge has depleted it will operate as a standard hybrid vehicle. Making it an economical and versatile choice!
Not only have the looks of the Prius been redesigned and enhanced, so has it’s CO2 output, which is the lowest ever for a Prius at 12g/km. The driving dynamics have improved with this stylish coupe, alongside additional improvements since the last generation, such as performance and handling.
Stay tuned for more beyond Zero blog content.
*Fuel consumption data taken from Toyota’s Press Release of the C-HR Plug-In Hybrid