We recently published two surveys on our site aimed at collecting the opinion of our readers who have chosen electric (EV) or rechargeable hybrid (PHEV) for their new car. Indeed, we were surprised by the results of a study by the Danish startup Monta, which specializes in the management of charging stations. She claimed that more than half of owners of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles regretted their purchase due to rising electricity prices.
After analyzing the results of our survey for customers of electric cars, the time has come to focus on those of the second satisfaction survey we conducted. This time it concerns plug-in hybrid cars.
Thus, of the 603 PHEV car customers who responded to our survey, only half are completely satisfied with their vehicle (50%). 23% say they are partially satisfied and 28% are dissatisfied. This is certainly less than the 54% of electric and plug-in hybrid car drivers surveyed who regretted their choice during the Monta study, but this proportion is far from negligible.
Les Numériques survey: satisfaction of plug-in hybrid car customers
We found only 19% of electric car drivers dissatisfied, while 70% of users were completely satisfied with their vehicle. The difference is therefore significant compared to plug-in hybrid cars. The latter, equipped with a petrol or diesel engine and at least one electric motor, are nevertheless often described as combining the best of both worlds.
Electric autonomy disappoints
Among those surveyed, 54% regret the low electric range of their plug-in hybrid car. Most of the models currently on the market have a range of around 50 to 100 km in electric mode, according to the WLTP cycle. However, it can be difficult to reach these certification values in real conditions and older models do not claim such electric autonomy. Naturally, the gasoline or diesel engine starts running more often, and fuel consumption increases. The latter does not satisfy 24% of users, who find it too high.
1 in 2 people regret buying their electric vehicle: what is your opinion?
If plug-in hybrid cars are intended more to be recharged at home, since recharging is not an absolute necessity, the network of terminals nevertheless disappoints their users almost as much as those of electric cars. Thus, 29% of respondents deplore the excessively high cost of recharging at public terminals (32% among users of electric cars). 22% are dissatisfied with the city charging network (27% among electric car owners) and 16% with the highway charging network (21% among electric car users).
The cost of home charging is cited as unsatisfactory by 22% of plug-in hybrid car drivers surveyed, compared to 18% of electric car drivers.
Among the other sources of dissatisfaction, there is too little petrol or diesel autonomy for 14% of respondents and the cost of fuel for 9% of them. 10% cite other causes of frustration and 7% are disappointed with the driving experience, compared to only 4% among electric car drivers.
In the end, only 31% of respondents cite no dissatisfaction, compared to 52% among electric car customers.