While sales of electric vehicles in Estonia and Europe have been in decline for a year, sales of plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) have also fallen sharply in the last few months. /nginx/o/2024/08/07/16273449t1h4a88.jpg)
Cars. Photo: Elmo Riig
While sales of electric vehicles in Estonia and Europe have been in decline for a year, sales of plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) have also fallen sharply in the last few months.
Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) are hybrid-powered vehicles that can be plugged in and charged in the same way as fully electric cars, but also use gasoline or diesel to drive. When the battery runs out of charge, fossil fuels come to the rescue. Unlike electric-only cars, plug-in hybrids can be used for long trips without having to worry about recharging. This is one of the biggest advantages of plug-in hybrids.
At the same time, their serious drawback is their high price. In most cases, plug-in hybrids cost about a third more than comparable fossil-fuel-only models, and that's likely the main reason sales of the type fell 19.9% in recession-hit European Union countries in June. The rapid decline began in May, but until April of this year, sales of plug-in hybrids were growing.
