Can you recommend a PHEV with a long range?

We own a BMW i3 REX and love it. The pure electric range is around 100 miles, which is perfect for day-to-day use and the REX makes the rare longer journeys stress-free.

We'd like something a little larger but don't believe there is another vehicle like it that can offer a decent pure-electric range with the back-up of petrol/ diesel. Even those that may come close, on paper, don't seem to: a friend recently bought a Mercedes C-Class PHEV with a claimed electric range of more than 30 miles but she can barely get to work on a charge (less than 10 miles). Needless to say she is very disappointed.

I read recently about a small Japanese soft roader in the pipeline that was similar to the i3 (good electric range with petrol back-up that does not drive the wheels, and hence very efficient) but for the life of me can't remember what it was. Can you help?

Asked on 21 June 2022 by Peter Linton

Answered by Andrew Brady
Sounds like you're thinking of the new Nissan Qashqai e-Power. Like in your BMW i3, there's no direct link between the 1.5 petrol engine in the Qashqai and the wheels; instead, the engine charges the battery. Unlike your i3, though, you can't charge the Qashqai by plugging it in – so it's more like a conventional hybrid with a very limited electric range.

It sounds like your best option will be to make the leap to a pure-electric vehicle. The Kia EV6 is one of our favourites, while its 328-mile range and ultra-fast charging capability (10-80% in less than 20 minutes) should take the stress out of long journeys.
Tags: phev
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