The top 9 best plug-in hybrid vehicles of 2021

A general distinction is made between hybrid vehicles and plug-in hybrid cars . Both have a combustion engine (almost always a petrol engine) and an electric drive. However, the size of the built-in battery and the way it is charged differ. In both vehicle types, the excess kinetic energy during braking is converted into electrical energy. A plug-in hybrid also allows you to charge your battery from outside.

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What does plug-in hybrid actually mean?

The term plug-in comes from the English-speaking world and is intended to express that such vehicles can be connected to a wall box or a household socket. Since they have a much smaller battery than pure hybrid vehicles, it is also recharged much faster. The purely electric range is of course limited due to the size of the energy storage system. Nevertheless, you can get a so-called E-mark in The United Kingdom; provided they achieve an electric range of at least 40 kilometers. Alternatively, it is sufficient if their CO2 emissions are less than 50 grams per kilometer. This means that drivers of plug-in hybrids can also enjoy privileges that the individual cities can decide for themselves. Examples include free parking spaces in city centers.

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The best plug-in-hybrid cars of 2021

Below we want take the opportunity to briefly introduce you to the best plug-in hybrid cars. This will help you decide which plug-in hybrid to buy. In general, many manufacturers now offer very different plug-in hybrid models. Exactly how each individual hybrid works is beyond the scope here.

1st place: The BMW plug-in hybrid 225XE Active Tourer

This about 40,000€ Vehicle model of the BMW brand offers an electric range of 39 kilometers, so it does not meet the requirements for an e-license plate. At 60 g CO2/km, CO2 emissions also exceed the critical value of 50 g CO2/km. The combined output of both engines is 224 hp, so the vehicle can accelerate from standstill to 100 km/h in less than 7 seconds.

2nd place: The Hyundai Ioniq PHEV

In addition to a hybrid variant, this vehicle model is also available as a plug-in hybrid. The purely electric range reaches a decent 63 kilometers. You can tell from the design that Hyundai has gained a lot of experience with hybrid vehicles. This model is priced from around €30,000. In addition, the manufacturer also offers a purely electric drive, whereby this car can then cover up to 240 per battery charge.

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3rd place: The KIA Niro Plug-In-Hybrid

You can get this plug-in hybrid for around 26,000€. The 4.37 meter long vehicle offers a trunk volume of 324 to 1,434 liters. The purely electric range is 58 kilometers, which makes the car one of the best plug-in hybrid cars. The plug-in SUV also knows how to impress with its driving performance. You should also take a look at which other plug-in hybrid cars are available from KIA.

4th place: The Toyota Prius as a plug-in -Hybrid

This vehicle model is also one of the good hybrid cars. The combined output of 122 hp enables acceleration from a standstill to 100 km/h in 11.1 seconds. Consumption is low in hybrid mode. Due to the CO2 value of 35 g/km and a purely electric range of around 50 kilometers, this car can even be given a German E-license plate. List prices start at around €37,000.

5th place: The Renault Mégane Grandtour E-Tech

Technology from racing has found its way into this plug-in car as a station wagon. In addition to the 92 hp petrol engine, a 67 hp electric motor and a 35 hp high-voltage starter generator are installed. The vehicle achieves a maximum of 158 HP with a maximum torque of 205 Nm. The purely electric range can reach a maximum of 50 km.

6th place: The Mercedes-Benz B-Class 250e

This model is a van that families and older couples especially love. The plug-in hybrid variant has a maximum speed of 235 km/h with a combined engine output of 218 hp. With a purely electric range of 60 kilometers, it is also enough for a so-called e-mark.

7th place: The Mitsubishi Outlander

This hybrid SUV is a very mature model. The first model generation appeared in Europe as early as 2003; Hard to imagine today that the first plug-in hybrid model was already available 17 years ago. Incidentally, the plug-in hybrid variant now accounts for almost 2/3 of the total Outlander demand for registrations. In total, all engines together achieve up to 224 hp. The purely electric range is 54 kilometers and the total fuel consumption is 1.8 liters (EU mix).

8th place: The Citroen DS5 Hybrid 4

This hybrid vehicle is something special. In this car, for example, a diesel engine works together with an electric drive. Unfortunately, it is not a plug-in hybrid, so the battery cannot be charged from outside in the garage at home. As a result, the electric range is only around three kilometers, which is typical for this class. The list price starts at around €37,500.

9th place: The Lexus RX 450h – a good pure hybrid car

This vehicle model convinces primarily with its reliability. Of course, this vehicle model is anything but a bargain. With prices in excess of 80,000€ one should also be able to expect high quality. Overall, the driving experience is characterized by comfort and pleasant cruising at medium speeds. The internal combustion engine achieves a consumption of almost 6 liters per 100 kilometers. The achievable purely electric range, on the other hand, is around one kilometer. A plug-in hybrid variant is not yet available.

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Conclusion

Plug In-hybrids are particularly suitable for all those who want or have to travel long distances in addition to short distances (e.g. the way to work). The combustion engine provides the security of being able to refuel quickly anytime and anywhere, while the electric drive can reduce your own CO2 footprint. The prerequisite, however, is that the electricity used has been generated in an environmentally friendly manner, preferably from renewable energies.

A tip from CarTipsandmore: If you own your own house, then you should think twice about it , if you can not combine one of the best hybrid cars 2021 with a photovoltaic system. In this case, you benefit from the fact that the electricity for your car is generated in a really environmentally friendly way. In addition, it costs you almost nothing, depending on the construction costs for the solar system.