| We are entering the electric era. But millions of drivers want their gas engines too. While electric vehicle sales are booming, sales of plug-in hybrids are rising even faster. They accounted for almost 30 percent of all electric cars sold in 2022. This presents drivers looking at a new car with something of a conundrum: Should I switch to all-electric? Or drive away in one of the slew of new — and old — hybrid models now on the market? I looked at a dozen models powered by gasoline, electrons or both to help you make that decision. What I found is it will all depend on how you plan to use your new car and what's most important for you. To gauge that, you should ask yourself three main questions: how will you charge, how will you drive and what's your budget? 1. Can you easily plug in? Plugging in is easier than you think. You can just use a standard 120-volt wall outlet, known as a Level 1 charger, which adds about 4 to 6 miles of range per hour, equivalent to about 50 miles overnight. That's more than enough to cover most Americans' daily routine. If you don't have a garage, there are some effective options if you live in an apartment, rely on street parking or can access public chargers. If these don't work, go with a standard hybrid, or the most efficient vehicle that fits your needs. Gil Tal, director of the Plug-In Hybrid and Electric Vehicle Research Center at the University of California at Davis, says when it comes to efficiency, "it doesn't matter if it's hybrid or not, just look at the MPG." Some new gasoline vehicles such as the Mitsubishi Mirage (39 mpg) can edge out hybrid models. 2. Do you drive long distances? If you're generally driving less than about 200 miles a day, and can access charging, switching to all-electric makes the most sense. You'll be able to top up your battery, saving money and emissions. Plug-in hybrids are a pragmatic choice if you need a car that handles daily and long-distance driving with limited charging access, or special applications such as towing and heavy-duty cargo. Plug-in hybrids can allow some families to own just one car, rather than one for driving around town and another for road trips. "It can save you a lot of money if you need this Swiss army knife," says Tal. But don't buy a plug-in hybrid if you won't be able to recharge it. Compared with a standard hybrid, they cost several thousand dollars more and require higher maintenance. "Some people buy a plug-in [hybrid] and never plug them in," says Tal. "If you don't need the [gasoline] engine, don't take the engine with you." 3. How much do you want to spend? If plug-in hybrids have a rosy future, they must beat all-electric vehicles on the road. That means competing on cost and performance over the lifetime of the car. How did plug-in hybrids fare against their all-electric peers? Not well, at least financially, based on my analysis with Energy Innovation, a policy think tank aimed at decarbonizing the energy sector. | 
