PHEVs - Everything You've Always Wanted to Know!

Can I buy a PHEV now?
Well, sort of. While there are no cars currently sold off the lot as PHEVs, you can buy a kit that converts a Prius into a plug-in hybrid. (Always check what effect this kind of conversion might have on the warranty).

How much do I pay for "a gallon" of electricity?
Current estimates say that you can go about 30 miles on the electric charge for under a dollar, so its like buying a gallon of gas at around 88 cents.

How far do PHEVs go before they need to be recharged?
Most PHEVs have an "all-electric" range of around 40-50 miles, enough to meet the daily driving needs of most people.

Can I recharge at work?
Without running an extension cord, not yet. However, several large carmakers are installing recharging points in parking lots and businesses in parts of Europe. They are calling it a "PHEV infrastructure".

How fast do they go?
0 to 60 miles per hour in about 8 seconds, and top speeds similar to most conventional cars their size.

Isn't it polluting to use electric power plants to generate electricity?
This one is answered in many places throughout this website. The short answer, yes, but nowhere near what internal combustion car engines produce.

What are solar or wind powered PHEVs?
This is the short way to describe PHEVs that are recharged using electricity primarily generated through solar or wind turbine electricity.

When can I buy a PHEV?
By 2009 at least one, and perhaps several major carmakers will introduce mass produced, commercially available PHEVs.