Plug-in hybrid tech continues to be something that neither automakers nor regulators can completely agree on.
Some, like Toyota, Volvo, BMW, and others see them as a smart, effective bridge technology to EVs while others, including GM and Honda see them, at least for now in the U.S., as an unnecessary complication in the shift to EVs.
In light of proposed EPA vehicle pollution rules revealed earlier in the week, PHEVs aren’t going away. But as the U.S. Department of Energy recently highlighted, automakers aren’t increasing the number of PHEV choices.
Looking at light-duty vehicles, the DOE found that the number of EV models surpassed the number of plug-in hybrid models for the first time since 2014—going from 20 to 38 distinct models in just a year. And versus a year earlier, the number of PHEV models went down in 2022.
![Number of EV and PHEV models - U.S. DOE Number of EV and PHEV models - U.S. DOE](https://world-of-cars.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/ev-models-outnumber-phev-choices-for-the-first-time-since-2014.jpg)
Number of EV and PHEV models – U.S. DOE
The DOE says that in calculating the number of models, it counted each model name just once, despite multiple configurations available for some of them.
By sales, EVs have been far ahead of PHEVs for some time—since around 2018. By the end of 2022, EVs stood at about 6% of the U.S. market while PHEVs were at just over 1%.
The EPA’s proposal for 2027-2032 vehicle emissions continues to emphasize plug-in hybrids, along with hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, as part of alternative pathways for automakers to comply as part of a “technology-neutral” approach. California’s Advanced Clean Cars II (ACCII) rules that go into effect starting in 2026 will mandate the equivalent of 50 miles of real-world electric range in plug-in hybrids