A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle ( PHEV ) is a hybrid electric
vehicle whose battery pack can be recharged by plugging a charging cable into
an external electric power source, in addition to internally by its on-board
internal combustion engine-powered generator. Most PHEVs are passenger cars,
but there are also PHEV versions of sports cars, commercial vehicles, vans,
utility trucks, buses, trains, motorcycles, mopeds, military vehicles and
boats.
Similar to all-electric vehicles (BEVs), PHEVs displace greenhouse gas
emissions from the car tailpipe exhaust to the power station generators
powering the electricity grid. These centralized generators may be of
renewable energy (e.g.