Here's One Big Mistake You Risk Making With a Plug-In Hybrid

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When my husband and I decided last year that we needed to replace our aging Toyota Prius with a newer and larger car, we looked into a bunch of different options. We were updating our vehicle at a time when car prices were high, so we wanted to make sure we could afford our monthly payments and that the cost of auto insurance wouldn't be unreasonable.

While we wound up paying more for a car than I would have liked, the silver lining is that we drove away with a plug-in hybrid. So while our monthly car payments are a bit high, we're saving a lot of money by virtue of rarely having to fill up with gas.

If you have a plug-in hybrid, your plan may be to go months on end without having to use gas. And if you typically drive short distances, that's doable. All you need to do is make sure your car is fully charged overnight, and you can run local errands or, in some cases, even go back and forth from work in EV (electric vehicle) mode only.

But while it's both okay and cost-effective to use gas sparingly with a plug-in hybrid, you should aim to use your gas engine some of the time. If you go too long without using gas, you might end up with a headache on your hands.

The problem with never using gas

Plug-in hybrids have both a gas and electric component. When you turn on your car, you'll typically start off in EV mode unless you specifically switch out of it. Once you've used up your EV range (which can vary based on your car -- ours is about 42 miles), you'll switch over to gas, at which point your tank will start to be depleted like a regular car.

It's possible to go months on end without using any of the gas in your plug-in hybrid. But that has the potential to damage your vehicle and lead to costly repairs.

As gas gets old, its chemical properties start to change. This could result in engine problems once you start using it. Not only that, but as gas ages, it can become gummier, leading to blockages in your car's fuel line.

Now, your plug-in hybrid may be equipped with the technology to detect when it's time to purposely switch over to gas mode because it hasn't been used for a while. But you can't count on that happening. So if you own a plug-in hybrid, make a point to use the gas engine somewhat frequently. That doesn't have to mean every week, but using gas every month is a good way to avoid issues.

Know your vehicle

Driving a plug-in hybrid is a bit different than driving a gas-powered car or even a traditional hybrid. So if you're thinking about getting one or you've recently gotten one, take the time to actually read the manual and learn about your car's inner workings and quirks. It could save you some stress down the line and lead to a better driving experience on a whole.

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