I've been looking at PHEVs like the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and Toyota RAV4 Prime. My daily commute is only about 15 miles each way, so I'm wondering if the extra cost is justified or if I'd be better off with a regular hybrid or just going full electric. Also concerned about battery degradation over time.
A 30-mile daily round trip is actually perfect for a PHEV, not a reason to avoid one - that's basically their whole sweet spot. You'd run on battery most days and barely touch the gas engine, so you're looking at electric-only fuel costs for your commute while keeping the range anxiety safety net for longer trips. The extra upfront cost pays back faster than you'd think if you're charging at home and driving those miles daily, and modern battery degradation is pretty minimal over a decade - most packs hold 90% capacity or better. Regular hybrids make less sense here since you're not doing stop-and-go city driving where they shine, and a full EV would be overkill unless you're sure about charging infrastructure on any longer drives.
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