Problem is, here in the midwest, you simply can not find plug in hybrids.
I was ready to buy a Prius plug in late last year, had check book in hand, but unable to secure one locally, not even if I was willing to wait for months.
Dealer claimed all the plug ins were going to the West Coast.
EV choices were all still a bit beyond our budget, and my spouse, like a lot of consumers, still has range anxiety. She points out that women are particularly sensitive to the risks, however small, of being stranded. Since women make a lot of the economic decisions in households, carmakers and policy makers need to amp up the urgency of bringing cheaper vehicles and better charging networks on line.
We ended up getting a regular RAV 4 hybrid. Nice car, but a disappointment for me.
I’m nursing my 11 year old prius until I can afford a full on EV, we’ll see when that is.
I have my second Prius Plug-In and am very happy with it. My first Prius only gave me 11 miles on electric, whereas the new one gives me 30 miles per charge. Thirty miles is plenty for my daily living in and around where I live. I seldom put in any gasoline. When on gasoline I get a consistent 48 miles per gallon. A full tank and a full charge give me 560 miles of range. I carry my cables on long trips should I happen to find a 110 outlet or a charging station.
I checked online with my local Toyota dealer here in Vermont, and they have 3 or 5 Prius Primes on the lot. They are, though, all in the highest version.
Quelle surprise!
Consumers aren’t “pivoting” to hybrids. The people who want EVs are buying EVs and other people are playing it safe with hybrids.
I see a lot of PHEV buyers moving on to BEVs for their next car. For one, a BEV won’t seem so exotic after a PHEV, and by the time they have to choose another car, charger buildout will be more advanced.