Consumers haven’t exactly embraced plug-in hybrids (PHEV) the way some automakers might have hoped, with many seeing them as a compromised stopgap—a halfway house that combines the worst of both worlds. They’re pricier than traditional hybrids and don’t quite match the ownership experience of a full electric vehicle, leaving many buyers wondering what exactly they’re paying for.
In the US, PHEVs accounted for a paltry 1.9% of total new vehicle sales through August. To put that into perspective, EVs had a 9.4% share of the total market, while conventional hybrids managed a respectable 10.7%. And it’s not for lack of options—there are currently 41 different PHEVs available in the U.S., a smattering more than the 39 conventional hybrids on sale and just a little shy of the 60 EVs offered.
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