Hybrid running costs calculations
Discussion
I currently have a 120-mile commute with town driving on either end. My 2011 V60 T6 averages 31mpg on the journey so I’m using about £27 in fuel or about 23p a mile at £1.50 per l
I’ve seen a 2013 D6 twin engine for sale. This will do around 25 miles with a 12khw battery and about 45mpg on diesel. At home, the battery would cost £3.24 to fill at 27p per KWh and £9.72 at 81p per KWh at its most expensive on the street. The diesel engine will do around 45mpg or about 16p per mile.
Therefore, from home 25 miles at 13p and 35 miles at 16p would make the commute to work cost £8.85
From work 25 miles at 81p (worst case) and 35 miles at 16p would make the commute home £15.32
The total commute to work be £24.17, only around £3 less than what my 3.0 T6 would do.
Or am I missing something or making a huge mistake? Does the cost of using public charging points make plug-in hybrids uneconomical? Does the poor KWh per mile make them uneconomical?
Would the stop-start, 20mph, congestion, etc, mean the reality would be a lot better than I've calculated?
I’ve seen a 2013 D6 twin engine for sale. This will do around 25 miles with a 12khw battery and about 45mpg on diesel. At home, the battery would cost £3.24 to fill at 27p per KWh and £9.72 at 81p per KWh at its most expensive on the street. The diesel engine will do around 45mpg or about 16p per mile.
Therefore, from home 25 miles at 13p and 35 miles at 16p would make the commute to work cost £8.85
From work 25 miles at 81p (worst case) and 35 miles at 16p would make the commute home £15.32
The total commute to work be £24.17, only around £3 less than what my 3.0 T6 would do.
Or am I missing something or making a huge mistake? Does the cost of using public charging points make plug-in hybrids uneconomical? Does the poor KWh per mile make them uneconomical?
Would the stop-start, 20mph, congestion, etc, mean the reality would be a lot better than I've calculated?
Why are you assuming that you MUST fill the battery at the expensive rate, and that this needs to be used before the diesel can be?
Does the battery not just kick in when trundling around town, when the diesel would be somewhat uneconomical, but you're using the diesel for the vast majority of the time?
Either way if you bin off that silly public charging rate it'd be cheaper regardless
Does the battery not just kick in when trundling around town, when the diesel would be somewhat uneconomical, but you're using the diesel for the vast majority of the time?
Either way if you bin off that silly public charging rate it'd be cheaper regardless
Edited by Sycamore on Wednesday 1st May 11:40
Type R Tom said:
The "city" part of my commute is about 16 miles each way, so I wouldn't have enough to do it all on one charge, hence the need to top up publicly.
I'm asking the question to see what I've missed.
But why bother topping it up publicly? Just drive home on diesel surely?I'm asking the question to see what I've missed.
Type R Tom said:
The "city" part of my commute is about 16 miles each way, so I wouldn't have enough to do it all on one charge, hence the need to top up publicly.
I'm asking the question to see what I've missed.
What you've missed is that it's not a requirement to do the two 16 mile bits on electric, so you're not required to use an expensive charger for the return stint. I'm asking the question to see what I've missed.
Charge the battery cheaply. Once it runs out, you still have a diesel engine available. Charge the battery cheaply again as required?
Taxis trundle around town on diesel all day
Public charging rarely makes sense in PHEVs, and you can usually get a lot cheaper than 27p at home.
Not familiar with the Volvos but every other PHEV I've owned or driven may default to using electric but can be put into a charge save or hybrid mode to keep some in reserve. Use the electric on the bits that would be less efficient (crawling through traffic, etc), save charge when you're going faster, and just make sure you get home without any electric left.
Not familiar with the Volvos but every other PHEV I've owned or driven may default to using electric but can be put into a charge save or hybrid mode to keep some in reserve. Use the electric on the bits that would be less efficient (crawling through traffic, etc), save charge when you're going faster, and just make sure you get home without any electric left.
Note how slow the charging is on a PHEV. They're designed around the use-case that people will charge them at home or destination, not in between. So typically it'll be around 4-5hrs to charge the battery. The assumption is based on the fact you have a secondary energy source - petrol/diesel.
There are some PHEVs out there with DC Fast Charging now as the EV only range of 60 miles+ but they're new/expensive.
If you can't charge at home or at work (for a reasonable price), I don't see the point of a PHEV vs a normal hybrid or a diesel.
There are some PHEVs out there with DC Fast Charging now as the EV only range of 60 miles+ but they're new/expensive.
If you can't charge at home or at work (for a reasonable price), I don't see the point of a PHEV vs a normal hybrid or a diesel.
Type R Tom said:
gmaz said:
Any reason why you would not want to go full EV? You can get costs down to about 2p/mile using an EV tariff, and have lower maintenance costs, quieter, more responsive drive.
I can't afford one that would fit the family's needs at the moment. What's more important? Your family's needs, or doing 0-60 in 3.8 seconds?
https://www.leaseloco.com/car-leasing/mg-motor-uk/...
gmaz said:
Type R Tom said:
gmaz said:
Any reason why you would not want to go full EV? You can get costs down to about 2p/mile using an EV tariff, and have lower maintenance costs, quieter, more responsive drive.
I can't afford one that would fit the family's needs at the moment. What's more important? Your family's needs, or doing 0-60 in 3.8 seconds?
https://www.leaseloco.com/car-leasing/mg-motor-uk/...
If I ever have to go back to the office full-time, they will definitely be considered.
gmaz said:
What's more important? Your family's needs, or doing 0-60 in 3.8 seconds?
https://www.leaseloco.com/car-leasing/mg-motor-uk/...
That's the funniest thing i have read on any EV related thread https://www.leaseloco.com/car-leasing/mg-motor-uk/...
It's not an ideal trip for a PHEV.
PHEVs can be really cheap to run if you do a lot of short trips which are a high % battery powered.
In town it should function as a stop/start hybrid though, so it's more economical than a diesel.
You might have to keep the car in the right mode to arrive home with the battery fairly empty.
It's a lot of fuss to save a few pounds a week.
You might save more on non-commute days of course.
Is this PHEV euro 6? If not, I would think twice before investing in it.
PHEVs can be really cheap to run if you do a lot of short trips which are a high % battery powered.
In town it should function as a stop/start hybrid though, so it's more economical than a diesel.
You might have to keep the car in the right mode to arrive home with the battery fairly empty.
It's a lot of fuss to save a few pounds a week.
You might save more on non-commute days of course.
Is this PHEV euro 6? If not, I would think twice before investing in it.
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