Critics Say Nobody Plugs In Their Hybrid. A New Toyota Study Just Exposed The Reality

A new peer-reviewed study exposes how often American and Canadian PHEV owners plug in their cars.

Previous data collected in Europe showed PHEV owners rarely used their cars’ electric powertrains to their full advantage.

The new study shows a stark difference between European and North American patterns.

We’ve all heard the story. Plug-in hybrids suck because people don’t actually plug them in at home or at the office, making them less efficient than a conventional hybrid. As it turns out, however, that’s not really the case—at least not in the United States and a few Canadian provinces.

A new peer-reviewed study published by Karim Hamza and Ken Laberteaux from Toyota Research Institute North America (TRINA) analyzed the charging habits of more than 6,000 PHEV owners in the U.S. and Canada, and found that the vast majority take advantage of their cars’ electric driving abilities.