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According to the U.S. Department of Energy (under President Biden) and EV experts and advocates, both battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles (PHEVs) qualify as “electric vehicles” or “EVs.” Each of these types of EVs has its own strengths and advantages in certain types of usage. Maybe it is not surprising that many folks who own or have owned a BEV also own a PHEV. A recent query in a popular EV Facebook group with about 13,000 members helps to shed some light on why so many folks who own or have owned a BEV also find their PHEV to be a very practical and green way to drive.
The post (which I was not responsible for) asked, “For those that previously owned EVs, why did you switch to a Prime? Was it worth the change?” The Prime in question is a Toyota RAV4 Prime plug-in hybrid-electric vehicle. The club is one of two large clubs for such vehicle owners.
The answers are very insightful. What these folks who have owned both types of EVs say is pretty consistent and also sheds light on what the two electric vehicle types each do well and what they can do better than one another. Here are some of the best posts we found that help to shed light on why BEV owners also own PHEVs. The comments may have been edited slightly for grammar, brevity, and clarity.
1) Came out of a (Tesla) Model 3 for a RAV4 Prime. I do often do road trips 400-ish miles, and while the Tesla did fine, it’s nice to keep moving. I am enjoying my Prime now.
2) The RAV4 Prime is almost like having an EV with unlimited range.
3) 100% yes for me—I owned a VW ID.4 but got rid of it after one year due to multiple chronic AC failures. Reliability issues aside, the range anxiety (I drive a lot) was more of a concern than I expected, as the charging infrastructure for non-Tesla vehicles just isn’t there yet. My Prime gives me everything the ID.4 did, without the road trip charging concerns or reliability headaches. It’s what I should’ve gotten in the first place.
4) We have a Tesla and a Prime in our household. We primarily drive the Prime. We like not having to worry about charging the Tesla on longer trips, and I like the Prime because it's much easier to get in and out of for my old knees. The dogs never go in the Tesla, but they have a good setup at the back of the Prime. The Prime is definitely the one for when we need to haul things or pick up a piece of furniture. The Prime is great on road trips because of that back seat/hatch setup and because we drive on dirt and gravel and across water, and the Tesla isn't right for that kind of thing. My prime is an XSE with Premium Package, so it has some amenities that the Tesla doesn't. Honestly, except when my wife is commuting to work, the Tesla sits in the garage, and the Prime is on the road.
5) Tesla is fine as a secondary car - if you are ok with the poor (adjective changed from a vulgar word) quality. Otherwise, the Prime is better.
6) I owned a Chevrolet Bolt for five years, and it was the perfect car for me when I was working as a home health physical therapist in the Bay Area. I since retired and moved to the Seattle area with cold, occasionally snowy winters and I hike a lot in the mountains requiring occasional all wheel drive. The Bolt no longer worked for me and the RAV4 Prime meets my needs perfectly!
7) We moved from having 2 EVs and an ICE to the RAV4 Prime and an EV. Best of both worlds for us. My commute in the RAV is just a tad over my range usually. But I'm mostly electic in it except when we go on longer trips. Then we just drive. Love the flexibility. I think this is how we'll operate for a long time.
8) I still keep an EV (Leaf) in the garage for 'round town, but the Prime was a key upgrade for long-range trips and skiing. It's our go-to ski car, replacing our Outback, and also gives us a second 'round town EV for daily chores. We love being able to drive to local ski resorts without range or low-temperature anxiety.
9) Had a Tesla for five years and loved it. Sold it for an Audi Etron, but the (public) charging network is abysmal. So I use (the BEV) for around town and got a RAV4 Prime for my wife and for out-of-town trips.
10) Range and resale value. Liked the Tesla (I previously owned). Hated road trips with it. Lost $$$ when I sold. Love our RAV4 Prime. I have had four now.
11) We have a Prime and a Tesla. Previously, I had a Bolt (BEV), a Niro PHEV, and an Audi e-tron. The Bolt was a great little car and virtually problem-free, but not suitable for long trips due to lack of level 3 chargers. The Niro was reliable but only 25 miles electric and a bit small. The Audi was a luxury car but finicky and expensive to repair. My wife mostly uses the Model Y, and it’s been reliable and efficient. I prefer the Prime for ride, seat comfort, rear space. I also prefer the Prime for our fairly frequent long trips from Florida to NC. Prime is my daily driver and I only buy gas for our long trips. Both are good cars, but they have slightly different use cases for us.
12) I have both - Bolt for my driving around town/errand car and the RAV4 Prime for long trips.
13) I was surprised to be asked by a random Tesla owner at a grocery store parking lot what I thought about my RAV4 Prime. She wasn't happy with her Model 3. I don't think her dissatisfaction was specific to Tesla, more EVs in general. She didn't have the ability to charge where she lived, so she relied on public charging.
14) I have a 2011 Nissan Leaf that I had before I got my RAV4 Prime. My leave has a short range, which works fine for short trips. I wanted a PHEV where I could do all my short trips on electricity and not worry about charging issues for long trips.
15) Bolt EUV. I had range anxiety, waiting for a charger to free up, and long charge time during a ski trip. Once I found the right deal, I traded it in for a RAV4 Prime. Bolt is old tech, so it has one of the worst fast charging abilities.
Why BEV Owners Buy PHEVs - Conclusion
The easy conclusion is that those individuals and households who want to drive green but who need a vehicle that can travel long distances without reliance on a limited, often inoperable, and sometimes crowded public charging network turn to plug-in hybrid electric vehicles to meet their needs. Many of these PHEV owners have more than one vehicle in their household and rely on their BEV for around-town driving.
For more information on PHEVs, please check out these prior posts:
EV Advocates and Experts Cannot Even Agree On What an Electric Vehicle Is
5 Plug-in Hybrid EV Myths Battery-Electric Purists Wish Were True
Truth Unplugged - Data Helps Disprove Critics’ Main Complaint About Plug-In Hybrids
Plug-In Hybrids May Be The Best Way To Convince Reluctant Shoppers To Consider EVs
Study: 2025 BEVs have Highest Cost of Ownership Hybrids Lowest Among Vehicle Types
John Goreham is an experienced New England Motor Press Association member and expert vehicle tester. John completed an engineering program with a focus on electric vehicles, followed by two decades of work in high-tech, biopharma, and the automotive supply chain before becoming a news contributor. In addition to his eleven years of work at Torque News, John has published thousands of articles and reviews at American news outlets. He is known for offering unfiltered opinions on vehicle topics. You can follow John on Twitter, and connect with him at Linkedin.
Image of Toyota RAV4 Prime courtesy of Kate Silbaugh
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