Plug-in hybrid is a smart compromise
EV-like efficiency without the range anxiety
If you want more than a hybrid but you’re scared of running out of juice on a fully electric vehicle, the solution may be a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, or PHEV. They run on electricity when you plug them in, but they’ll also work as a conventional gaselectric hybrid if you can’t.
They’re pricier than a conventional hybrid, and Hyundai’s new Ioniq Electric Plus PHEV starts at more than the top-trim Ioniq Hybrid, but if you have a place to plug it in and your commute isn’t all that long, you could end up running on electricity much of the time, and for less than the MSRP of a full-electric vehicle.
Hyundai sells three Ioniq models: A hybrid in four trim levels, an all-electric in three trims, and the Electric Plus in two. The base SE trim is $31,999, while my tester, the Limited, is $36,499. Both are eligible for electricvehicle rebates; Ontario’s at $7,000, Quebec gives you back $4,000 and B.C. $2,500.
The plug-in uses a 1.6-litre gasoline engine that, on its own, makes 104 horsepower and 109 pound-feet of torque. When operating as a conventional hybrid, with the gas and electric motors working together, you get up to 164 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque. Unlike most hybrids, which use a continuously variable transmission, the Ioniq sends its power to the front wheels through a sixspeed dual-clutch automatic unit. This gives it a more conventional car feel when it’s working as a hybrid.
Plug it in, and after about 21/2 hours on a 240-volt charger — or eight to nine hours on a regular 110-volt outlet — you get about 47 kilometres of electric range. That’s about seven kilometres more than Toyota’s Prius Prime, which at $32,990 to $35,445, is priced in the Ioniq’s ballpark.
Of course, on either car, that’s an approximate number, and you’ll lose some range in cold weather or if you have a heavy foot. As with any hybrid, regenerative braking feeds power back into the battery, but you have to plug it back in again to get that initial full charge.
There’s a button on the console that lets you flip between hybrid and electric — switch to hybrid on the highway, and then use the stored charge when you exit onto city streets. Even so, the Ioniq can have a mind of its own, even when you’ve selected electric-only. Acceleration is leisurely on the electric motor alone, and the gasoline engine soon kicks in if you demand more giddy-up, or if you turn up the cabin heat. I drove fairly sanely and plugged in regularly, and despite cold weather, averaged a more-than-respectable 4.1 L/100 km.
I wasn’t overly impressed with last year’s Ioniq Hybrid, but it looks like the PHEV has addressed the issues I had with its non-pluggable sibling. While steering is still light, the plug-in feels sharper, and though it’s definitely not a sports model, I think it’s the better driver. Even so, the throttle has an odd rubbery feel, and it’s likely some of my great fuel efficiency was due to it being a chore to floor it.
I also thought my seat was more comfortable this time around; I had trouble adjusting the hybrid’s seat to my liking. Both trim levels feature heated seats fore and aft, along with a heated steering wheel. Those features chew up battery power, but they make sense. If your hands and butt are warm, you’re more likely to turn down the even-power-hungrier heater.
Despite the car’s technology, it looks conventional outside and in, with only some blue trim accents and the gauge cluster hinting at the Ioniq’s electric ability. The front seats are roomy, while the rear seats have about the amount of space you’d expect in a car this small. You’ll be able to fit four adults into it with a fair amount of comfort. The hybrid battery is at the back, but packaged in such a way that there’s still a decent amount of cargo space, albeit with a fairly high lift-over into the trunk. The rear seats fold down to handle longer cargo.
Compared to regular hybrids, and even all-electrics, the plug-in hybrid is a rare bird, especially around this price range. There’s the Prius Prime, as well as a plug-in version of Mini’s Countryman, starting at $43,490. Kia builds the crossover-styled Niro on the Ioniq’s underpinnings, and will be coming out with a plug-in version, but there’s no firm date yet.
The big issue is whether a plug-in’s relatively short electric range is worth the jump in price over a hybrid. It can be for some, but sharpen your pencil and do the math before you take the plunge.