The motor industry is going through exponential change with the government declaring that the sale of petrol and diesel engines will end all together by the year 2030 which means manufacturers are having to adapt their vehicles in the run up to going fully electric.
Whilst manufacturers have approached this differently the end goal is ultimately a common factor. Jaguar Land Rover now favour production of hybrid models to reduce emissions along with creating a pool with Tesla to further reduce their emission levels so you can receive a hybrid model within 6 months of placing an order in comparison to a petrol or diesel engine taking up to 12 months to be delivered. Porsche have announced they will release an all electric Macan model in 2023 to go alongside their now most popular vehicle, the all electric Porsche Taycan.
What is the alternative though if you aren’t ready to go fully electric, don’t want to wait 12 months for a vehicle or don’t have the capability to charge a vehicle at home? This is where a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) could be the saviour.
Plug-in hybrids have come a long way from times that Toyota Prius were seen as the leading vehicle on the market. This is largely down to the increased battery size meaning you can go further on an electric charge, reduce emissions from your vehicle and this will in turn reduce your road tax liability meaning that you will benefit from lower running costs and lower fuel costs. So, what are the best hybrids in the market right now and are they really worth it?
The BMW X5 has sat at the top of the hybrid market since it was released in 2019 because it offers up to 52 miles of electric only range which puts it firmly in the 7% benefit in kind tax bracket. Volvo released their own hybrid XC90 in 2016 but it wasn’t until this year that Volvo managed to increase the electric range available to over 40 miles which makes it a direct challenger to the BMW X5 in this market. Arguably, the biggest change to the hybrid market came this week when Range Rover revealed their new model which offers a 62 mile range plug-in hybrid, which means it doesn’t just take pole position but it puts some distance between the competitors at the same time.
So, what is so good about a hybrid? Here at P+B we understand our clients concerns about electric only range but they also want to drive something greener which, in the past, would mean going from a 3 litre engine to a 1.5 litre engine but hybrids have changed that. BMW’s X5 hybrid has a 3 litre petrol engine for example so you still get the performance of a petrol engine on longer drives. This may seem like an obvious point to make but behind this is the real reason that hybrids are growing in popularity all over the UK.
The main concern we hear at P+B about going fully electric is the limited range of 250-300 miles which means for longer journeys you do need to plan ahead so you can plan your charge points in and factor this into your journey time. Hybrids are becoming popular because you can do the small tasks of school runs, trips to the shop, visiting family and friends locally, and commuting to the office largely on an electric only charge but you also have the peace of mind that should you need to drive further then you have the reassurance that the petrol/diesel engine is there to get you to where you need to be. It also means that when you are doing shorter journeys using the electric only charge you get used to the feel of an electric car and acclimatise yourself with the fact there is very little to no audible feedback from the engine when running on electric which can be discomforting at first but is something you very quickly find as a benefit.
The main reason we see hybrid sales increasing in the UK is people genuinely want to make the change but want to feel secure knowing they can spontaneously drive to see relatives or go to an event without having to stop so hybrids are seen as the gateway to electric by a lot of our clients.
Electric ranges will increase in the next 4 years and there will be more public charge points available which will make the benefits of going electric all the more enticing in years to come but for now, hybrids are proving to be the perfect bridge to going fully electric across the UK.
If you would like to discuss your next vehicle being a hybrid then please get in touch with one of our experts at P+B who would be delighted to help you.
