Hybrids vs. Plug-in Hybrids: What's the Difference?

There's something out there for everyone

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written by Nick Yekikian^{Senior News Editor
Nick Yekikian has worked in the automotive industry since 2019. He has written close to a thousand car-related articles and tested and reviewed more than 200 vehicles over the course of his career. Nick is the Senior News Editor at Edmunds and has also contributed to MotorTrend, Automobile Magazine and Super Street. When Nick isn't zipping around town in his latest used-car find, he's probably making digital art in Photoshop or playing disc golf with friends.}
edited by Steven Ewing^{Director, Editorial Content
Steven Ewing has worked in the automotive industry since 2003. In that time, he's written thousands of articles and tested just as many vehicles. Steven is Edmunds' director of editorial content and has previously been on staff at Winding Road magazine, Autoblog, Motor1.com, CNET, and was the U.S. correspondent for Top Gear magazine. Steven has also contributed to Automobile magazine, Car and Driver, The Drive, Jalopnik, Porsche Panorama, and dozens of other publications. In his spare time, Steven loves to play the drums, cook, and drive his 2000 BMW M Roadster.}
6/7/2024
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We get it — not everyone is ready to take the plunge on an EV.
Luckily, there are a few alternatives for those who want to dip their toes into electrification.
We compare hybrids and plug-in hybrids to help you figure out which is best for you.

Like a lot of folks, I live in an apartment and I don't have a regular place to charge up overnight. So an EV isn't for me. But that doesn't mean gas-only is my sole option. For a lot of people, hybrids and plug-in hybrids make a lot of sense.

Though these two powertrain setups might share a bit of nomenclature, they're actually rather different. Hybrids dont need to be plugged in to charge their relatively small batteries. Plug-ins, on the other hand, have much larger-capacity batteries that can be charged at Level 2 charging stations, and some even have Level 3 capability now. Plug-in hybrids also have much longer electric-only driving ranges, meaning you might be able to run your entire daily commute on electric power alone. Of course, these vehicles also cost more as a result.

To get all the details and see our top three recommendations when it comes to which hybrids and plug-ins we think you should buy, check out the video below.

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Nick Yekikian

by Nick Yekikian

Nick Yekikian has worked in the automotive industry since 2019. He has written close to a thousand car-related articles and tested and reviewed more than 200 vehicles over the course of his career. Nick is the Senior News Editor at Edmunds and has also contributed to MotorTrend, Automobile Magazine and Super Street. When Nick isn't zipping around town in his latest used-car find, he's probably making digital art in Photoshop or playing disc golf with friends.

Steven Ewing

edited by Steven Ewing

Steven Ewing has worked in the automotive industry since 2003. In that time, he's written thousands of articles and tested just as many vehicles. Steven is Edmunds' director of editorial content and has previously been on staff at Winding Road magazine, Autoblog, Motor1.com, CNET, and was the U.S. correspondent for Top Gear magazine. Steven has also contributed to Automobile magazine, Car and Driver, The Drive, Jalopnik, Porsche Panorama, and dozens of other publications. In his spare time, Steven loves to play the drums, cook, and drive his 2000 BMW M Roadster.

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