Why aren't plug-in hybrid cars more popular than hybrids?

Answer 1

One of the biggest issues with the plug-in vehicles is that its need to be.. well plugged in. This comes to be an issue partiularly when the owner has an apartment in a large city such as New York City. Imagine a car that needs to be parked two blocks away from a 4th story apartment building -- very difficult to plug the vehicle into a power source. Now this may be a different scenario for the private home owner with own garage, it is important to remember that a lot of sales come from people who live in the cities that have no such access. On the other hand, the non-plug in cars that charge the batter via the engine are more popular in those cases as the engine is used to charge the battery, while the battery power is utilized during the idle times and lowe speeds. Hope that somewhat answers your question.