Do plug-in hybrid cars, SUVs make sense for India?

While useful, plug-in hybrids are expensive to buy and maintain.

Published On Jul 14, 2024 07:00:00 AM

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Land Rover Discovery Sport PHEV charging

Very few carmarkers, like Land Rover, introduced PHEVs in India.

Why aren’t more manufacturers bringing their plug-in hybrid models to India and do they make sense in our market?

Sumeet Shah via email

Autocar India says: The reason there aren’t many plug-in hybrids in India is because they are very expensive. You are essentially carrying the weight and cost of two powertrains, an electric powertrain and an internal combustion engine, and there’s no real tax benefit too. So the running costs don’t justify the high asking price.

Plug-in hybrids are useful as the can serve a dual purpose. They offer EV running for short distances and then you have the ICE which gives you that peace of mind while going long distances. But the high price tags don’t make them viable in our market.

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