US plug-in hybrid sales hit a record high in 2023

Plug-in hybrids reached document gross sales in 2023, with greater than 250,000 automobiles bought, or about 20% of complete plug-in automobile gross sales, in response to the Division of Power.

Final 12 months noticed sturdy gross sales for EVs as effectively, which surpassed a million models for the primary time. The mixed market share of hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and EVs rose to 16.3% of complete light-duty automobile gross sales within the U.S., up from 12.9% in 2022.

Plug-in automobile gross sales by calendar 12 months, 2010-2023 (through U.S. Division of Power)

But by themselves, plug-in hybrids nonetheless have not reached 2% of new-car gross sales. With the value positioning of plug-in hybrids no longer as favorable versus hybrids in 2023—particularly with out the EV tax credit score—it is trigger to wonder if there’s much more demand for them.

Some automakers appear to assume so. The Power Division statistics had been launched shortly after a report that General Motors will add plug-in hybrids to its U.S. lineup, reversing its earlier coverage of going all-in on EVs and ignoring hybrids of any type.

U.S. EV and hybrid gross sales in 2023 (through U.S. Division of Power)

Toyota plans to push its plug-in hybrid vary to 120 miles, which might align with stricter California emissions requirements calling for plug-in hybrids with at the least 50 miles of electrical vary beginning with the 2026 mannequin 12 months. Though the presentation must be easy. Toyota’s “hybrid EVs” advertising and marketing spin, recasting hybrids without charge ports as EVs, would possibly solely feed confusion.

Regulators should additionally nonetheless come to phrases with plug-in hybrids that aren’t plugged in as often as is assumed when calculating emissions and effectivity scores. Plug-in hybrids are solely useful in the event that they’re recurrently charged and pushed on electrical energy. And if house owners aren’t doing that, it might turn out to be a much bigger impediment to decreasing real-world emissions if plug-in hybrid gross sales proceed to develop.