Many PHEVs Not Moving

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, though closer to purely electric models than hybrids in both carbon emissions reduction and fuel economy, are getting a cool reception from the buying public.

New research by J.D. Power finds that while automakers are trying to position PHEVs as a springboard to fully electric vehicle adoption, not many consumers are buying.

Though there are plenty of available PHEV models on the market, in fact a couple more than the hybrids segment, they still comprise less than 2% of the U.S. automotive market, compared to 9% for purely electric vehicles and 11% for hybrids, or HEVs, according to the study.

The top reasons for passing over PHEVs are their higher prices and lower customer satisfaction compared to their electric family counterparts.

J.D. Power found the average customer-facing transaction price, or the negotiated price before incentives are applied, for a compact PHEV SUV is $48,700, versus a hybrid of the same category at $37,700, and a purely electric model at $36,900.

Meanwhile, consumers have been less satisfied with PHEVs. The study found overall satisfaction at 669 on a 1,000-point scale compared to 716 for fully electric models. The reasons are ownership costs exceeding expectations paired with the more expensive purchase cost.

Automakers, seeing that overall EV adoption is proving slower than they had expected in recent years, have been retooling their strategies to fuel consumer interest, from offering Tesla fast-charger adapters to Ford's recent offer of free home chargers to EV buyers.

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