Six money-saving hacks for PHEV company car drivers

After more than a decade on sale in the UK, plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) are having their moment in the spotlight. 

As a halfway house to electric cars, the latest PHEVs combine up to 80 miles of battery-powered driving with the ease of filling with fuel for longer trips, and their low CO2 emissions mean they’re tax-efficient company cars too. 

New PHEVs outnumber diesel cars almost two to one, and more than 80% of them are sold to fleets.

However, behind attention-grabbing efficiency figures, PHEV running costs are almost infinitely variable, depending on how and where they’re driven, and when, where and if they are plugged in. Here’s how to keep your costs down.

1. Get a home charger 

Although PHEVs don’t rely on a home charger, it’s the easiest step to slashing your fuel bills.

For example, the Volkswagen Tiguan eHybrid Match has EV-mode efficiency of 4.4 miles per kWh. 

That’s around 6p per electric mile if it’s charged at home, or half the cost of using a public charger, according to Zapmap’s latest figures. 

Leasing firms often let drivers bundle a home charger into their company car order, while generous employers can cover that additional cost without you being taxed for it.

Costs aside, a proper wallbox is easier than trailing cables out of windows or planning public charging sessions into your week. 

2. Switch to an off-peak tariff

Ignoring the handful of free public chargers, there’s no cheaper source of electricity than a home tariff with off-peak pricing.

Wholesale energy costs fluctuate based on demand, and several utility companies will pass this on as discounted rates when there’s less load on the grid. That’s typically between midnight and 6am.

Continuing the example above, the Tiguan would cost 2p per mile in EV mode if it’s charged overnight on tariffs such as those offered by E.ON and Octopus – and that’s often when electricity is generated from the greenest sources too. 

Most PHEVs and all new wallboxes can be programmed to defer charging sessions until a specific time. 

3. Pre-warm the cabin 

Batteries don’t like winter weather. A cold snap slows the chemical reactions in the battery and means using energy-intensive heaters to warm the cabin – both of which blunt efficiency and shorten your range. In a PHEV, this means the engine will cut in earlier in a journey, which is pricier than driving on electricity.