Yahoo Autos Plug It In! Every Plug-In Hybrid for Sale in the U.S. Today
- 1/18
A comprehensive list of all the plug-in hybrids on the market, and our thoughts on what makes each model unique.
Courtesy of the manufacturer - 2/18
1) Ford C-Max Energi
The Ford C-Max Energi could be considered the sensible shoe of the plug-in set, thanks to its practical, minivan-like shape, benign handling, and adequate if uninspiring 188-hp hybrid powertrain. Surprisingly, the Energi doesn't achieve much better fuel economy than the standard C-Max hybrid, so the play is only to get the 19 miles of electric range from its 7.6-kWh battery pack.
Read More
- 3/18
2) Mercedes-Benz S550e
Plug-in hybrids don't get more decadent than the Mercedes-Benz S550e, which makes no compromises to luxury in the transition to electrification. Indeed, with 436 total horsepower and, in our testing, a zero-to-60-mph time of 4.9 seconds, the S550e is a worthy competitor to the V-8–powered S550 in nearly every respect, from performance to luxury and from prestige to sense of occasion. As for efficiency, well, its electric-only range is a modest 12 miles, and we noticed little efficiency advantage over the regular S550 in our real-world tests. Your mileage may vary. We sure hope it does.
Read More
- 4/18
3) Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid
As with the Cayenne E-Hybrid SUV, a gasoline/electric Porsche sedan seems silly, yet the Panamera S E-Hybrid's sporting bona fides are unquestionable from behind the wheel. With a combined 416 horsepower from its supercharged V-6 and electric motors, the Panamera S E-Hybrid accelerates briskly, and its low center of gravity and wonderfully tactile steering make it a joy to turn. A full battery can provide 15 miles of driving in E-Power mode, the most of any luxury model here that isn't the BMW i3.
Read More
- 5/18
4) BMW 330e
We have called the BMW 330e "the plug-in sports sedan for the modern age," delivering most of the character of the standard 3-series while allowing 14 miles of electric driving and earning a 71-MPGe rating from the EPA. Multiple driving modes vary the level to which the 248-hp turbocharged four-cylinder engine intervenes, but given that it's a BMW 3-series, we would want to engage it a lot. It can get pricey with options, however, and like most PHEVs, the 330e is very heavy. But with a zero-to-60-mph time of 5.8 seconds in our testing, it's quick. And as a BMW, it comes loaded with cachet.
Read More
- 6/18
5) BMW X5 xDrive40e
Like the 330e sedan, BMW's X5 xDrive40e plug-in can drive 14 miles on electricity alone, but its 6.2-second sprint to 60 mph in our testing shows that BMW didn't compromise performance too much as it added some measure of electric driving range to its largest SUV. This is confirmed by its 56-MPGe rating. The only packaging casualty is the inability to order a third-row seat, since the battery is stowed beneath the cargo floor. Folks intrigued by this model might want to check out the X5 diesel, however, since that vehicle is a few thousand dollars less expensive and, in our hands, got better overall fuel economy.
Read More
- 7/18
6) Hyundai Sonata Plug-In
Hyundai's first entry in the PHEV game is the Sonata plug-in hybrid, which shares most of the powertrain of the standard Sonata hybrid, producing 202 horsepower between its gasoline-powered four-cylinder and electric motor. But this version's 9.8-kWh battery pack takes it 27 miles on electricity alone, with 590 miles of total driving range and an electronic "coach" to help the driver stretch the savings even further. The Sonata's good looks remain intact, as does its well-equipped interior.
Read More
- 8/18
7) Mercedes-Benz GLE550e 4MATIC
The GLE550e was the first Mercedes-Benz SUV with a plug, and along with the S550e, it's also one of the most powerful plug-in hybrids on the market today, with 436 total horsepower. On a full charge, the 8.7-kWh battery pack helps it cover 12 miles on electricity alone—two miles fewer than the BMW X5 xDrive40e. It also looks and feels rather dated, despite all the new stuff under the skin. At least it only costs $650 more than its nonhybrid counterpart, the GLE400 4MATIC.
- 9/18
8) Volvo XC90 T8 Plug-In Hybrid
Like other luxury brands, Volvo has used electrification to boost the performance of its plug-in hybrid in addition to its efficiency. In the XC90 T8, Volvo's clever supercharged and turbocharged "twin engine" four-cylinder works with powerful electric motors at each axle to turn the XC90 T8 into a 400-hp seven-passenger range topper. A 9.8-kWh battery helps it travel 13 miles solely on electricity. Alas, it is expensive: At $72,795, the T8 starts more than $26,000 higher than the nonhybrid XC90. At the top, the spectacularly opulent, four-passenger Excellence trim level costs an eye-watering $105,895, making it far and away the priciest Volvo ever sold in the United States.
Read More
- 10/18
9) BMW 740e xDrive
The 740e may not be the most expensive BMW you can plug in—that honor goes to the i8—but it is certainly the most decadent. It uses a slightly more powerful version of the hybrid turbocharged four-cylinder/electric powertrain found in the X5 xDrive40e and 330e, and it can travel up to 14 miles purely on electrons. Best of all, no compromises were made to its luxurious appointments.
Read More
- 11/18
10) BMW i3 with Range Extender
BMW's i3 with its optional range-extending engine may not look as racy as the i8, but its extensive use of exposed carbon fiber and natural materials make it seem nearly as exotic. Its 170-hp electric motor and large, 33-kWh battery can take the i3 up to 72 miles before the 34-hp two-cylinder engine tucked beneath the cargo floor fires up—and that will last until its tiny 2.4-gallon fuel tank reaches empty. The i3's 117-MPGe rating is outstanding, even if the car's driving dynamics aren't.
- 12/18
11) Chevrolet Volt
The all-new, second-generation Chevy Volt improves on its groundbreaking predecessor in nearly every way, from its less-bizarre styling to its higher-quality, ergonomically sound interior that now seats five, one more than the original. Its drivetrain can operate in pure-EV mode for an EPA-estimated 53 miles, the most of any car on this list save for the BMW i3, and once the battery is depleted, it can travel another 400 miles or so down the highway.
- 13/18
12) Ford Fusion Energi
Like its C-Max Energi counterpart, the Fusion Energi is powered by a 188-hp hybrid powertrain with a 7.6-kWh battery pack, and it also offers 19 miles of electric driving range. It's not very fast, but among the three plug-in family sedans on this list, the Fusion could be considered the best-looking, with styling that was just spiffed up for 2017 and a modern, comfortable interior.
Read More
- 14/18
13) Kia Optima Plug-In
Kia's mid-size Optima plug-in hybrid shares most of its powertrain and 9.8-kWh battery pack with the Hyundai Sonata PHEV, as well as its 27-mile electric-only range and approximately 600-mile total driving range between fill-ups. The Optima plug-in is also very heavy (426 pounds heavier than the regular Optima), so handling suffers, and passing acceleration is woeful. It inherits the Optima's innately good looks; however, sharp eyes will identify the plug-in model's creased bumpers, blueish-tinted windows, and unique grille with motorized shutters.
Read More
- 15/18
14) Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid
As with the Cayenne E-Hybrid SUV, a gasoline/electric Porsche sedan seems silly, yet the Panamera S E-Hybrid's sporting bona fides are unquestionable from behind the wheel. With a combined 416 horsepower from its supercharged V-6 and electric motors, the Panamera S E-Hybrid accelerates briskly, and its low center of gravity and wonderfully tactile steering make it a joy to turn. A full battery can provide 15 miles of driving in E-Power mode, the most of any luxury model here that isn't the BMW i3.
Read More
- 16/18
15) Toyota Prius Prime
Toyota's all-new, wildly styled 2017 Prius Prime is the plug-in hybrid we all knew Toyota could build, replacing the underachieving Prius plug-in that was first launched in 2012. The 121-hp hybrid powertrain shares much with the standard Prius—ditto its sluggish acceleration—but only the Prime, with its 8.8-kWh battery, allows the engine to be shut down completely for 22 miles of EV driving.
- 17/18
16) BMW i8
Proving that plug-in hybrids aren't just about reducing fuel costs, BMW's unabashedly futuristic i8 features exotic swing-up doors, spaceship styling, and a six-figure price. Its turbocharged three-cylinder engine and electric motors team to produce 357 horsepower, with all four wheels getting some of the power. The i8's as quick as it looks, too, with a zero-to-60-mph time of 3.6 seconds in our testing. Its 14-mile electric-only range and 76-MPGe rating reflect its emphasis on performance, as does its tiny back seat.
- 18/18
17) Audi A3 Sportback e-tron
While the Audi A3 Sportback e-tron's 16-mile electric-only range is on the modest side among this grouping, its 204-hp powertrain and excellent handling make it one of the most satisfying PHEVs to drive, and is rated at 83 MPGe to boot. Interior and exterior styling is nearly identical to the standard A3 hatchback (which we don't get in conventionally powered form), while the plug is cleverly concealed in the grille, right behind Audi's trademark four rings.
A comprehensive list of all the plug-in hybrids on the market, and our thoughts on what makes each model unique.
