'Plug-in' hybrid vehicles to remain rare despite amazing mileage

19 October 2005 News

Though it would probably void the warranty, owners of hybrid vehicles have been known to modify them to run longer solely on electric power and to charge their batteries from electric mains (thus the name, 'plug-in hybrid'). If they recharge frequently enough, it is possible to use the petrol engine in the vehicle only rarely, literally allowing for hundred of miles per gallon. So why are automakers not offering this as a factory option?

According to Dan Benjamin, a senior analyst at ABI Research, "While the appeal is obvious, plug-in hybrids really have some immense drawbacks. The major issue is battery life: rechargeable batteries tend to die much faster if they are constantly discharged until empty. Factory hybrid systems will use the conventional engine to charge the battery before it discharges too much, but plug-in hybrids are specifically intended to run longer on battery power, and will thus result in higher rates of battery failure."

ABI Research offers dedicated research for both the commercial and consumer hybrid electric vehicle markets. Benjamin explains that when automakers experimented with pure electric vehicles, the batteries were intended to be replaced every few years. But to be cost-practical, batteries in hybrids are intended to last for the life of the vehicle, as replacements are very expensive, and automakers would not want to pay for this cost as part of a warranty.

So is the technology doomed to obscurity? Not necessarily, says Benjamin. "There will be something of a market for plug-ins on the commercial side, particularly in Europe and Asia where there is already more interest in pure electric vehicles. Eventually we could see the technology offered on a passenger vehicle, though not any time soon."

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