For those who really want to try the plug and have a slightly larger budget, considering a newer used car might be worth it, it has a battery range of 50 miles per charge and tends to switch between the motor and gas propulsion more smoothly.
Know your battery
Just like a full battery electric vehicle, the replacement price of PHEV batteries is also very expensive. The good news is that like full-battery electric cars, PHEV batteries are also more robust and reliable than the automakers they once feared. However, make sure you ask your dealer to provide some kind of battery health test. It’s also worth asking how to use a car. If previous owners tend to forget to plug in their car and drive mostly (actually: don’t do that), the battery may be healthier and healthier than the age or mileage of the car.
Know your warranty
Phevs comes with the typical bumper-to-bumper and powertrain guarantee you see in a gasoline-powered car. Most also come with a battery warranty, which may cover (sometimes over) eight years or 80,000 miles, whichever comes first. It is worth calling up the automaker of the vehicle to ensure that these guarantees are transferable between the owners.
Warranty coverage is especially important because Phevs “has a lot of moving parts,” said Sean Tucker, principal editor of Kelly Blue Book. Consumer Reports’ analysis of the past three models of internal combustion engines, electric and plug-in hybrids found that PHEVS is 70% more than gasoline-powered or hybrid cars. (In comparison, the more 42% of the problems there are for electric cars.) Tucker said he would be “reluctant to” buy remote Phevs, especially from brands known for their reliability issues. Analysis of Consumer Reports found that the most unreliable brands include Cadillac, Jeep and Volkswagen. The most reliable ones are Subaru, Lexus and Toyota.
Know your technician
Since PHEV is mechanically tricky, you need to have an in-depth understanding of the used service record. Make sure your dealer can give you access to this. Remember: Unlike electric cars, plug-ins require regular oil, filtering and spark plug replacement.
Testing fees
Before bringing the cable home, it is worth testing the charging and connecting cables of used PHEVs. These vehicles can be powered using 120-volt and 240-volt chargers. Check both.
View incentives
Until September 30, some used PHEV buyers will be able to use the U.S. federal tax credit incentives up to $4,000 or 30% of the selling price, whichever is lower. You can find the details here, but in short: Qualified vehicles must be priced at $25,000 or below $25,000, and their batteries must have capacity of 7 kWh or more (most PHEVs, even older PHEVs). Buyers are eligible if they jointly file a declaration each year, or are individually $75,000.
Also remember that the state, city and local power utilities sometimes offer their own new capability car incentive programs, some of which are suitable for plug-ins. Some also plan to help new battery-powered car owners install home charging. Do your research and maybe you can save.
