Mr Gus wrote: ↑Fri Apr 28, 2023 11:46 am
How many of us (without meaning to demean phev owners) deem hybrids should not be counted due to farce such as the big ole toyota landcruiser ?PHEV type thing which is undoubtedly on the list in great numbers as is the slightly better utilised taxi phev toyota prius.
Hiya Gus. I have some thoughts on the issue (big surprise!) but it's an issue where it's incredibly easy to insult or demean very good people. So if I insult anyone, that's honestly not what I meant to do.
So, I think PHEV's were an excellent idea when they came out. I really wanted one of the early Toyota Prius PHEV's with about 12m of range. But we simply couldn't afford one at the time (10yrs ago?)
On here (and similar sites), I truly believe the members and readers will make excellent use of PHEV's, maximising the leccy component. I also suspect that PHEV buyers will have considered them v's a BEV but opted for the PHEV for good reasons, probably economic.
However, for many not understanding PHEV's properly, their low leccy range (oustside of China*), and the company cars bought 5yrs or so ago for tax purposes, won't be making much use of the leccy component. Also PHEV's may have a higher TCO (total cost of ownership) than an ICEV, with both higher than a BEV, certainly when similar vehicles are compared (not a petrol super mini to a Tesla model X).
Nowadays, I suspect PHEV's struggle to find an economic point in the market to sell. In the UK, and Europe as a whole, the PHEV sales are dropping, as BEV sales rise, (let's say roughly 10% falling towards 5%). Some countries had higher PHEV penetration, like France, but they are now falling, and Sweden was a real standout with very high PHEV sales, higher than BEV's, but the last year this has reversed. Chinese PHEV sales have started to fall, and the US PHEV market never really got going - perhaps it was at the stage to grow, but being a bit behind Europe/China, they got the lower priced BEV's just in time.
Back to your question - should PHEV's be counted? - Well, it's easy to dismiss them, but as I stressed, for those like minded folk on here, they will be making them work very well, and I'm sure the pleasant leccy only driving will be a confidence boost and 'gateway drug' towards BEV's, as and when the economics and selection of suitable BEV's improves (plus public rapid charging).
My philosophy is that whilst a BEV may be a better choice than a PHEV, a PHEV is still better than a HEV, which in turn beats a MHEV, which beats an ICEV**. So it all helps, and PHEV's will help to boost demand and support for all forms of charging infrastructure at properties, on roadsides, and at services/charging stations.
*Many, many, many of the Chinese PHEV's offer significant range with larger battery packs.
**And again, it's important not to criticise anyone who for whatever reason can't move up a level yet, so a well maintained older ICEV, or perhaps buying one secondhand, is still a positive step v's buying a new ICEV today - but of course edge case excemptions will apply.
[BEV - Battery Electric Vehicle
PHEV - Plugin Hybrid Electric Vehicle
HEV - Hybrid Electric vehicle
MHEV - mild HEV (tiny battery and a larger starter motor to aid in low speed start off where an ICEV is exceptionally inefficient)]