The EVs are there for anyone to buy at this point, though plug-in hybrids are currently the best option.
You can do short commutes on battery power alone and you have an IC engine ready when needed.
Also if we force all EV manufacturers to adopt a standard for homes to be able to use their cars as back-up power, or generally for the grid to be able to utilize plugged-in EVs with over 80% capacity to feed back into the grid when required, that could solve most of the problems but it soulds like a nightmare to implement from an engineering standpoint.
Edit: this post describes the benefits and challenges.
Best option by what metric? Plugin hybrids come with a unique set of issues that neither EV nor pure ICE have. Exactly because you’ll do all your short commutes on battery.
Exhausts literally rust through because they don’t get used enough to clear out all the condensation that develops. Flooring it when you need to accelerate suddenly will cause a cold ICE to come on and take a heavy load without the oil being warmed up, etc.
I’m considering a few too, but I’m not exactly going to pretend they don’t have whole new issues.
I dunno. Straight up hybrids are superior to ice vehicles, but plug in hybrids seem super niche.
I rented a jeep 4xe and the battery only mode would only go about 10-20 miles - I’m not super far from work, but it’s still double that range. And the default software mode was to consume all the battery then only recharge like a normal hybrid (e.g. keeping the battery at basically empty).
Plus the mileage wasn’t much better because it was lugging around the battery pack.
though plug-in hybrids are currently the best option.
no, they are the worst of both worlds, a smaller battery lugging around an ICE drivetrain, an ICE drivetrain lugging around a heavy battery, and double the complications.
Most people don’t plug their PHEV and fuel usage becomes horrendous
That’s always how it is though? Can’t have EVs because not enough electricity, won’t build green electricity because not enough EVs.
The EVs are there for anyone to buy at this point, though plug-in hybrids are currently the best option.
You can do short commutes on battery power alone and you have an IC engine ready when needed.
Also if we force all EV manufacturers to adopt a standard for homes to be able to use their cars as back-up power, or generally for the grid to be able to utilize plugged-in EVs with over 80% capacity to feed back into the grid when required, that could solve most of the problems but it soulds like a nightmare to implement from an engineering standpoint.
Edit: this post describes the benefits and challenges.
https://www.elli.eco/en/about-elli/news/newsroom/vehicle-to-grid-how-electric-vehicles-are-becoming-a-key-pillar-of-the-energy-transition
Best option by what metric? Plugin hybrids come with a unique set of issues that neither EV nor pure ICE have. Exactly because you’ll do all your short commutes on battery.
Exhausts literally rust through because they don’t get used enough to clear out all the condensation that develops. Flooring it when you need to accelerate suddenly will cause a cold ICE to come on and take a heavy load without the oil being warmed up, etc.
I’m considering a few too, but I’m not exactly going to pretend they don’t have whole new issues.
I dunno. Straight up hybrids are superior to ice vehicles, but plug in hybrids seem super niche.
I rented a jeep 4xe and the battery only mode would only go about 10-20 miles - I’m not super far from work, but it’s still double that range. And the default software mode was to consume all the battery then only recharge like a normal hybrid (e.g. keeping the battery at basically empty).
Plus the mileage wasn’t much better because it was lugging around the battery pack.
no, they are the worst of both worlds, a smaller battery lugging around an ICE drivetrain, an ICE drivetrain lugging around a heavy battery, and double the complications.
Most people don’t plug their PHEV and fuel usage becomes horrendous
Fuck PHEVs
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/feb/18/plug-in-hybrids-use-three-times-more-fuel-than-manufacturers-claim-analysis-finds