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Would a plug-in hybrid work okay when driven without charging?
I'm looking for a new premium hatchback that I can keep for a few years and do a mixture of short journeys and long motorway trips - about 15,000-18,000 miles per year. I also want a fairly decent performance. Audi has a released the A3 40 TFSIe which might be of interest. The only problem is that I may not be able to charge it on, say, a 600-mile round trip. Do they work ok when driven 'petrol only' and do you still get the same performance? Does it do it any harm if not charged for a while? Many thanks.
Asked on 10 February 2021 by
Answered by
Andrew Brady
A lot of company car drivers have plug-in hybrids and never bother plugging them in. You won't do any damage but you might find the fuel economy to be quite poor – PHEVs really need regular charging to get the best from them. I wouldn't dismiss a diesel for your mileage. The extra torque of a diesel engine will mean it feels quite responsive and it'll be much more efficient on long motorway journeys.
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