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1. What is a PHEV and how is it different from a standard hybrid vehicle?

Both standard hybrids and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) are powered by a combination of electricity and liquid fuels; however, PHEVs draw their charge from the engine and captured brake energy, as well as from the electrical grid when they are plugged into an electrical outlet. PHEVs also have a set of batteries that provide electricity to an electric motor, allowing the battery pack to be even further recharged by plugging-in.

PHEVs have traditional fuel tanks and internal combustion engines, so they do not face the range limitation of electric-only cars. As a result, the vehicles can travel up to 30 miles on electricity before using the standard, gas-electric operating system and get up to 100 miles or more per gallon.

2. What are the benefits of PHEVs?

The benefits of having a PHEV include:

• PHEV owners can expect up to an 85% reduction in gasoline use
• PHEVs also get about twice the fuel economy of a conventional vehicle and 30% to 50% better fuel economy than a standard hybrid (the electric equivalent of a gallon of gas costs less than $1 a gallon)
• Greenhouse gas emissions are significantly reduced with HEVs and PHEVs

3. Are PHEVs available today?

There are prototypes in operation today, but there are no commercially available PHEVs on the market. There are also many conventional hybrids, from sedans to SUVs, that have been converted to plug-ins. Some are getting up to 60 all-electric miles per charge.

4. How much gasoline would a PHEV use?

According to the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), half the cars on United States roads are driven 25 miles a day or less. Consequently, a plug-in with a 25-mile, all-electric range could eliminate gasoline use in the daily commute of tens of millions of Americans. Furthermore, drivers of PHEVs would only need to fill up with fuel a few times a year, versus the current 24 to 36 times a year on average.

5. Will PHEVs be slow?

No. A Toyota Prius, modified with a larger plug-in battery, has essentially the same accelerating power and speed capability of a current hybrid.

6. How much more will a PHEV cost than a conventional hybrid?

The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) estimates that, with mass production, the cost of a PHEV battery will add $2,000 to $3,000 to the cost of a conventional hybrid. Battery costs are likely to fall with increased production.