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Mitsubishi has released the findings from a survey of Outlander PHEV owners which shows that the majority of owners charge their cars most days and that over 50% of driving uses electric rather than petrol power.
Before providing more detail about the results of the survey, we can confirm that Green Car Guide’s 2019 Outlander PHEV family car is typically charged twice per day and detailed economy records are kept, with the vehicle typically averaging over 100mpg due to it being primarily being used for local journeys on electric power, with this figure dropping to around 90mpg if longer journeys are undertaken. Our experience of similar petrol vehicles shows that average economy is usually between 30-35mpg. Therefore if at least 50% of plug-in hybrid vehicle driving is using electric power – which Mitsubishi’s survey suggests is the case – PHEV drivers can use less fuel, reduce CO2 emissions, help to improve local air quality, and save money.
Mitsubishi’s survey of drivers of the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV – the UK’s most popular Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle – reveals that around two thirds (68%) plug their car in every single day and 90% charge their vehicles at least two to three times per week. This runs counter to the myth that plug-in hybrids are only driven by people looking to lower their tax bills and are never actually plugged in.
The survey also revealed that Outlander PHEV owners’ average weekly mileage was 179.2 miles, with an average of 90.6 miles driven in Electric Vehicle (EV) mode (this equates to 50.5% of journeys in electric mode).
Mitsubishi claims that the UK government could significantly advance its Road to Zero emissions ambitions by incentivising drivers to switch to PHEVs – and Green Car Guide supports this view. However the grant for plug-in hybrids was stopped towards the end of the 2018 – prematurely in our opinion. Perhaps not surprisingly, the SMMT has recently announced car sales figures for April 2019 and has highlighted the sharp decrease in plug-in hybrid cars following the withdrawal of government support for the technology.
The survey, undertaken by Kadence International, a global market research company, on behalf of Mitsubishi Motors in the UK, also showed that 97% of Outlander PHEV owners normally charge their vehicles at home with 23% using public charging points. Again, this refutes the misconception that PHEVs are preventing electric vehicles from accessing charging units. Only 10% of Outlander PHEV owners agree that they always plug in and recharge at motorway services, on longer journeys, suggesting that most use their combined EV/petrol power units for longer journeys instead.
Because the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is the UK’s best-selling plug-in hybrid vehicle, with around 45,000 on UK roads, and the survey sample was chosen entirely at random from the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV customer base, Mitsubishi believes the results are a genuinely realistic reflection of how these vehicles are used.
Plug-in hybrid vehicles not only have an immediate environmental impact, they help familiarise consumers with electric vehicles, providing a route to a pure electric future. The survey also reveals that 25% of Outlander PHEV owners would consider a pure electric vehicle for their potential next or future purchase.
The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV WLTP emissions and economy figures are 46g/km CO2 and 139mpg respectively and its WLTP pure electric range is 28 electric miles (WLTP).
Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV 2019
Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV 2019 all-season tyre test
Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV 2017
Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV 2016 long-term test
