At first glance, it may seem like the plug-in hybrid is the inevitable and awesome next step in the evolution of green driving, with the path already paved by the popularity of original gas-electric hybrids like the Toyota Prius. (Read our overview of how plug-in hybrids work and what makes them different from regular, plug-less hybrids).
With all the obvious advantages of plug-in hybrids, there’s still a good chance that modern automotive prophecy will come true and plug-in cars will make the world a better, greener place. But we’d be remiss if we didn’t cut through all the hype to point out some of the potential disadvantages of plug-ins as well. When exciting new models like the 2011 Chevrolet Volt begin to show up in dealerships later this year, there will still be some unresolved questions, concerns and doubts about this new-to-consumers technology. Here are the 5 Disadvantages of Plug-in Hybrid Cars. At the very least they’re worth considering before deciding to “plug-in” to the future of driving.
1. Where’s the Juice?
As the name implies, plug-ins need a place to, well... plug in. Sure, the outlet in your garage will work just fine, but what if your car doesn’t live by the typical daily commuter’s schedule of 20 miles to work, 8 hours in a parking lot, 20 miles home and 14 hours in the garage? In other words, what if you actually exceed the 40 miles of electric driving promised by the Volt?
If you’re a driver who regularly puts hundreds of miles on your car each week, it could become tough to get the maximum efficiency out of your plug-in. That’s because very few places have the charging stations or other electrical infrastructure in place to charge up a depleted plug-in after it’s been away from its outlet for more than 40 or 50 miles. The result is that while the promise of the plug-in Volt is mostly electric driving with gasoline engine support for those times you exceed the electric range, it’s unlikely that anyone other than the most basic commuters and people who restrict their driving to a handful of cities with charging stations will realize the full benefits of electric driving. And as for road trips? Plan to be running on gas with a depleted battery most of the time.
