PHEVs batteries are way more expensive than they look, because they still need to deliver power. You might only need 1/5th of the range of a Model 3, but you still need all of the power of a Model 3 (or you can cheap out, I guess, but nobody wants anemic cars with a 0-60 time of “well, eventually, maybe, in favorable conditions”).
So we are generally talking more expensive chemistries and more expensive designs.
realistically how many people would stake out there and say “yes, I would like a less fuel efficient car”
A lot! This is why CAFE regulations are a thing. The general pattern is “fuel cheap, car expensive”, so efforts to save on fuel with expensive car components is met with resistance from consumers.
Great, now face the reality that we have a battery glut and battery prices keep crashing.
PHEVs with a 50mi all electric range without an atrocious power dropoff are the sweet spot right now.
Are they? Battery costs keep falling. When you go from a Model 3 to a Volt, you save on batteries but you gotta pay for an engine, transmission, fuel tank, and a bunch of other things.
At current prices ($120 per kwh), a Model 3 battery is maybe $6000-7000. A Volt battery is probably at least $1000-$2000, since you need the full power from it, if not the full capacity. And then you gotta pay for the engine, transmission, catalytic converter, and all of that stuff. It is a painful way to save $4-5k.
You can kinda tell that Toyota is having regrets about the way that they do things, because all of the primes are being made in collectible quantities despite ample demand.
Hybrid transmissions are amazing things because the gears are always meshed. Hybrids use regenerative braking like EVs. You definitely have a maintenance edge with hybrids, through 12k buys a lot of brake pads too.
On the flip side, if the infrastructure royally sucks, I can at least install some solar panels on my rooftop.
Installing an oil well in my backyard… harder.