Yes. A plug-in is a hybrid, not an electric vehicle. The advantages of a plug-in are:
1. Some of the fuel used is at the cheaper electric rate (it may not be cheaper in your area).
2. The car will be able to go a longer time in a low power demand situation (bad freeway traffic) without having to run the gas engine in an inefficient RPM band.
There are two types of plug-ins:
A. The type with a very large battery and an electric range of 40 miles or so.
B. The type with a smaller battery and an electric range of 5 miles or so.
The Prius plug-in is type B.
The problems with making a plug-in battery too big are:
1. The extra weight reduces fuel economy dramatically once the battery has used up the plug-in portion of its charge. A standard hybrid or a type B plug-in should be chosen.
2. If you seldom go further than the battery will take you, the gas will sit and get stale. Engines don't like sitting unused either and gas stabilizer only works so well. An electric vehicle should be chosen rather than a plug-in or a "standard" hybrid so you don't have to pay for an maintain the expensive gas engine.
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