Why a plug-in hybrid — not a fully electric car — was the right choice for me
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The 2023 Kia Sportage PHEV. Photo courtesy Kia
It's been about three weeks since I swapped my 2016 Volkswagen SportWagen for a 2023 Kia Sportage Plug-In Hybrid — and, so far, I'm loving the plug-in life.
The big picture: Electric vehicle (EV) chargers, once few and far between, are quickly becoming more commonplace — but they're still not as easy to find as I'd like before I go fully electric.
- Plus, battery and charging technology is rapidly evolving, so leasing a plug-in hybrid as a "bridge car" for a few years before committing to a full EV seemed like the logical move as the ecosystem develops.
- I work from home but make a daily drive of about 2 miles each day back and forth to my son's day care, so my everyday needs are far more than covered by the Sportage's 34 miles of electric range.
Driving the news: I've put a few hundred miles on the Sportage — mostly neighborhood driving, but also a road trip from my home in Albany to Syracuse and back, plus shorter jaunts to nearby hiking trails and the airport.
- I've been topping off the battery every night using the included Level 1 charger plugged into a standard outlet alongside my driveway. I programmed the Kia to prioritize charging overnight, when my electricity rates are cheaper.
Like other plug-in hybrids, the Sportage automatically switches from fully electric to traditional hybrid mode as the battery depletes (meaning the battery's remaining juice is used to boost the gas engine's efficiency, rather than powering the car on its own).
- I've also been experimenting with manually switching to traditional hybrid mode before departing on long drives well beyond the battery's range — and that seems to boost my overall mpg.
- I've had to fill up the gas tank far less often than with my VW, which, for a traditional car, was no slouch in the mpg department.
I've also been looking for opportunities to top off the battery while I'm out and about.
- I've found a few free or cheap Level 2 chargers nearby, which can charge the Sportage's battery (which is relatively small compared to full EVs) in no time.
- But those chargers are sometimes occupied, broken or inconveniently placed, making me glad I don't need to rely on them.
Yes, but: It's still unclear how charging the Sportage at home will affect my power bill.
- I was also bummed to learn that the Kia's climate control system relies on the gas engine, so pre-heating the car come wintertime means burning fuel in my driveway — not exactly the environmental win I was hoping for.
Meanwhile: The Sportage is loaded with other useful tech, including Kia's Highway Drive Assist — a partially autonomous mode that's been especially great on New York's linear and mind-numbingly boring I-90.
The bottom line: I still want to go fully electric eventually, but a plug-in hybrid suits my needs perfectly right now.
- If you're also EV curious but not quite ready to take the plunge, consider a plug-in hybrid instead.
