Plug-in Cars offer drivers the fuel-efficiency benefits of hybrid cars with the added feature of being able to plug-in to household electricity when the car is not in use. This leads to increased mileage and fuel savings.
A plug-in hybrid-electric vehicle offers extended electric-only propulsion. Drivers can use the electric mode for short trips, and switch to 'blended' mode (combined gas/electric) once the battery runs low, or if higher engine performance is needed.
Plug-ins require larger batteries than normal hybrids, which drives up their cost. Rechargeable nickel metal hydride (NiMh), used in hybrid vehicles, are bulky but less-expensive, while advanced lithium-ion batteries are smaller and have a higher output of energy, but are very costly. Improvements in battery storage capacity are key to the success of plug-ins.
Plug-in technology is currently in active development by the major auto manufacturers, with working prototypes of both plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) and plug-in electric vehicles which have small backup gas generators.
The following plug-in cars are currently in development:
Toyota Prius Plug-in
Ford Escape Plug-in
Ford Edge
Dodge Sprinter Plug-in
Jeep Renegade (concept)
Toyota 1/X (concept)
- battery pack: lithium-ion
- range (battery mode): 40 miles (64km)
- extended range: 360 miles (579km)
- estimated mpg: 230*
- recharge time: 6.5 hours at 110v
- available: late 2010
- cost: $30,000 - $40.000
The Volt's electric-only range of 40 miles exceeds the average per trip range of most drivers, and so for most trips the car will use no gas. When the car is parked at home, it is designed to use a common household plug for recharging.
* When gasoline is providing the power, the Volt might get as much as 50 mpg. But that mpg figure would not take into account that the car has already gone 40 miles with no gas at all. So let's say the car is driven 50 miles in a day. For the first 40 miles, no gas is used and during the last 10 miles, 0.2 gallons are used. That's the equivalent of 250 miles per gallon. But, if the driver continues on to 80 miles, total fuel economy would drop to about 100 mpg. And if the driver goes 300 miles, the fuel economy would be just 62.5 mpg.
Toyota Prius Plug-in
- battery pack: nickel metal hydride
- range (battery mode): 12 miles
- max. speed (battery mode): 62 mph
- recharge time: 4 hours at 110v
- available: 2010
- cost: n/a
The Prius plug-in can run in electric-only (EV) mode for maximum fuel efficiency, or "blended" mode (combined electric/gas) for enhanced performance and longer trips when recharging is not an option.
The Prius plug-in is powered by the current Prius’s 1.5-liter inline four. The electric motor generates 50kW, which combined with the battery pack, lets the car reach over 60mph in EV mode alone.
Ford Escape SUV Plug-in
- battery pack: lithium-ion
- range (battery mode): 30 miles
- max. speed (battery mode): 40mph
- recharge time: n/a
- available: 2013
- cost: n/a
The Escape plug-in can achieve fuel economy of up to 120 miles per gallon, Ford claims, during the first 30 miles of driving at moderate speeds after a full charge. Ford's Greg Frenette, chief engineer for plug-in and fuel-cell vehicles, forecasts 70 to 80 mpg on the highway, where the gas engine works more, and 30 miles of light driving up to 40 mph on a charged battery alone.
Ford Edge, HySeries Drive
- battery pack: lithium-ion
- range (battery mode): 25 miles
- extended range: 225 miles
- max. speed (battery mode): 85mph
- recharge time: n/a
- available: n/a
Ford claims a plug-in-power-only range of 25 miles before the hydrogen is needed. After that, the Edge with HySeries can go another 200 miles on a tank of compressed hydrogen. Ford estimates the gasoline equivalent mileage of the HySeries Edge at 41 mpg city/highway combined if you drive the full range.
Saturn Vue Plug-in
- battery pack: lithium-ion
- range (battery mode): 10 miles
- max speed (battery mode): n/a
- recharge time: 4 - 5 hours at 110v
- available: late 2010
- cost: under $40,000
The Vue has two driving modes – city and highway – and four fixed mechanical gears to maximize efficiency while maintaining performance. In addition, special controls will be utilized to enable higher speeds during electric-only propulsion and maintain electric-only propulsion for longer periods of time. Saturn projects that combined performance for the plug-in Vue could be a near-50-mpg automobile.
Dodge Sprinter Plug-in
- battery pack: lithium-ion
- range (battery mode): 20 miles
- max. speed (battery mode): n/a
- recharge time: 6 - 8 hours at 220v
- available: n/a
The Sprinter plug-in is currently being road tested as a delivery vehicle for the NY Times. This is the first fleet test of a diesel plug-in hybrid system. The Sprinter is designed to benefit commercial uses where trips are short and the vehicle returns to its base for recharging.
Jeep Renegade (concept)
- battery pack: lithium-ion
- range (battery mode): 40 miles
- extended range: 400 miles
- max. speed (combined): 90 mph (144km/h)
- recharge time: n/a
- available: n/a
The Renegade plug-in has a low gear mode, locking differentials, and a Bluetec diesel "range-extender" engine that gives it the equivalent of 110 mpg when combined with the electric motors. According to Chrysler, the Renegade is capable of achieving an equivalent petroleum fuel economy of 110 mpg.
Toyota 1/X (concept)
- battery pack: lithium-ion
- range (extended): 150 miles
- max. speed (battery mode): n/a
- recharge time: n/a
- available: n/a
The 1/X also features a flex fuel 500cc engine and plug-in hybrid drive system. Toyota quotes fuel efficiency that is double of the Prius in a package that's roughly the same size and seats four. The Toyota 1/X concept car is capable of traveling 150 miles on a four-gallon tank of gasoline.
PLUG-IN CARS IN THE NEWS
20 Nov 2009 - Houston to convert Priuses to plug-ins
15 Nov 2009 - 2011 Buick Regal to be a hybrid? Even a plug-in?
12 Nov 2009 - GM board approves plug-in Cadillac hybrid - sources
5 Nov 2009 - Fisker buys mothballed GM factory to build $40,000 hybrid cars, expands Europe sales network
18 Oct 2009 - Toyota's passive approach to the plug-in hybrid
17 Oct 2009 - Toyota seeks a short-range plug-in hybrid for the long haul
1 Oct 2009 - EPA says mpg for plug-in and hybrid cars are a work in progress
8 Sep 2009 - Pike Research: 48% of US consumers would buy a plug-in hybrid car
18 Aug 2009 - The grid is ready for plug-in hybrid cars - if we don't all plug in at once
6 Aug 2009 - Preview: Buick plug-in hybrid SUV
8 Jul 2009 - Zipcar adds plug-in hybrid vehicles to its fleet
Electric Drive Transportation Association
Information about electric vehicles, events, emissions, environmental impacts and more.
The US Office of Transportation Technologies Information about alternative fuel, hybrids and advanced transportation technologies.
Buyers Guide for Hybrid Cars offers current price comparisons.
FuelEconomy.gov - side by side comparisons
About.com - guidance in choosing a hybrid
Research Hybrid Cars - comparison data for hybrid cars
Hybrid Cars - the current hybrid car lineup, with features, prices and specifications
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Car Sharing - get around town in a shared car, and save yourself the costs of car ownership.
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