Should I leave my PHEV plugged in while on holiday?
I have a Chery Tiggo8 PHEV and am going away for 2 weeks. What should I do with the car? Leave it unplugged or plugged in ?
Asked on 20 July 2026 by Joe McGrath
Answered by
David Ross
In situations such as this we would always recommend consulting the vehicle handbook for specific guidance, but as a general rule we would recommend charging PHEVs to between 50% and 80% charge, unplugging and then locking the vehicle as normal. This will ensure the vehicle is left with a healthy amount of charge and is the ideal margin for long-term battery condition. We would also suggest disconnecting any accessories plugged into the vehicle such as dashcams to avoid any battery drains, and locking the vehicle will ensure all systems bar the alarm will 'go to sleep' for the duration.
Similar questions
EV cars recommend 80% charge to extend battery life. If I owned a Plug-In Hybrid which achieved say 40miles with battery, I would charge every night to max %. Would this excessive charge all the time reduce...
I purchased a new Volvo XC 60 PHEV in August 2025. For the first 5 months when fully charged the electric range indicated 50 miles. Then suddenly this fell to only 40 miles and won't charge further. I...
Are plug in hybrids worth having? We live in a village and frequently do 20 to 30 miles to access facilities, so would need regular charging unless we just revert to the petrol engine.
Related models

