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PHEV

American

abbreviation

plug-in hybrid electric vehicle: an automobile or other vehicle primarily powered by an electric motor whose battery can be recharged by plugging into a power source: an internal-combustion engine takes over if the battery is depleted.

Etymology

Origin of PHEV

First recorded in 2005–10

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Also known as a PHEV, these cars combine a combustion engine with a relatively small battery that powers an electric motor.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 16, 2023

A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, or PHEV, allows you to sample what it’s like to drive and charge an electric car, without any of the fears of being left stranded.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 30, 2022

The company is debuting three new Niro models at the New York International Auto Show this week: the hybrid Niro HEV, the plug-in hybrid Niro PHEV, and the fully electric Niro EV.

From The Verge • Apr. 13, 2022

It’s a PHEV, and there isn’t a regular hybrid version.

From Washington Times • Aug. 26, 2020

That makes the Prius Prime a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, or PHEV, like the Chevrolet Volt, except that the Toyota isn’t a patch on the Chevy.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 5, 2018

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023