Plug-in hybrid engine reliability
Over some 35+ years of car ownership I have repeatedly been warned of the dangers of buying old low mileage cars, due to the likelihood that the engine has only ever been run been cold over short journey so may have excessive wear.
Is there a forthcoming problem for plug in hybrid cars capable of motorway speeds on batteries alone (e.g. BMW 330e) with average mileage, which much of the time will have been running on batteries, so will also effectively have a low mileage engine run cold?
I can imagine a commute would be from fully charged to work on batteries, and part way home after which the engine starts shortly before arriving at home and getting plugged in again.
Is there a forthcoming problem for plug in hybrid cars capable of motorway speeds on batteries alone (e.g. BMW 330e) with average mileage, which much of the time will have been running on batteries, so will also effectively have a low mileage engine run cold?
I can imagine a commute would be from fully charged to work on batteries, and part way home after which the engine starts shortly before arriving at home and getting plugged in again.
Asked on 19 March 2016 by Jeddy
Answered by
Honest John
Not heard of any problems. In fact the engines do come on and off momentarily and no hybrid can accelerate to motorway speeds on battery power alone. Some manufacturers, such as Toyota, that make more hybrids than anyone else, have abandoned plug-ins because very few drivers ever bother to actually plug them in. The chancellor has caught on too, halving the government grant on them.
Tags:
plug-in hybrid
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