History of Plug-in Hybrids

History Of Plug-in Hybrids

The history of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) spans a little more than a century, but most of the significant commercial developments have taken place after 2002. The revival of interest in this automotive technology together with all-electric cars is due to advances in battery and power management technologies, and concerns about increasingly volatile oil prices and supply disruption, and also the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Between 2003 and 2010 most PHEVs on the roads were conversions of production hybrid electric vehicles, and the most prominent PHEVs were aftermarket conversions of 2004 or later Toyota Prius, which have had plug-in charging and more lead-acid batteries added and their electric-only range extended. As of January 2013, there are seven mass-production highway-capable plug-in hybrids available in several international markets, the BYD F3DM, Chevrolet Volt and its siblings Opel/Vauxhall Ampera and Holden Volt, Prius Plug-in Hybrid, Fisker Karma, Ford C-Max Energi, Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid, and Honda Accord Plug-in Hybrid.

Since the inception of the BYD F3DM in December 2008, more than 72,000 plug-in hybrids have been sold worldwide through January 2013, with the Volt/Ampera family of vehicles as the world's top selling plug-in hybrid, with global sales of more than 40,000 units through January 2013, followed by the Prius Plug-in Hybrid with 25,500 units.

The leading regional market is the United States, with 32,598 Volts and 13,624 Prius PHVs sold through January 2013, followed by Japan with 9,500 Prius PHVs sold through October 2012. The third best selling market is the Netherlands with more than 3,700 PHEVs sold through December 2012, including 2,704 Opel Amperas, 610 Prius PHVs, 313 Volts and 140 Karmas. The Chevrolet Volt is the best selling plug-in electric vehicle in the U.S., outselling the all-electric Nissan Leaf by more than 12,000 units by January 2013.