We do not know how much plug-in hybrids consume and it is not very clear what they pollute. We do not know because it is very difficult to understand how the driver of a vehicle of this type behaves and, intrinsically, it is just as difficult to replicate these conditions in a laboratory test.
That is why plug-in hybrids consumed just one liter of fuel according to official approvals. That’s why they consume much more now. And that is why for entities like Transport&Environment, they are cars that consume seven times more than they say.
All of this has put a technology in the spotlight that seems like the perfect bridge to jump over. from combustion car to electric. With plug-in hybrids that travel more than 100 kilometers in purely electric mode, the solution seems perfect for those customers who do not dare to take the step to a pure electric car.
With Europe determined to make the leap to electric cars and customers who do not fully embrace this new paradigm, Germany has chosen to position them as the logical evolution. To convince the rest of Europe, he wants to put a stop to those who use the plug-in hybrid as a pure combustion vehicle. And why do you take this step? Because your industry is at stake.
More combustion please
Just a few days ago, Germany and Italy presented themselves to Europe as the guarantors of combustion engines from 2035. In front of them are Spain and France who have teamed up so that we forget about this type of mechanics from 2035 if they are not neutral in carbon emissions. This would leave out plug-in hybrids.
The plan includes a review of the objectives, an analysis of how the European Union is adapting to the new regulations. A process that Germans and Italians want to take advantage of to modify the regulations already approved.
The latest proposal from Germany has been launched by the VDA association (Verband der Automobilindustrie), which encompasses manufacturers in the German industry. These manufacturers, including those that said they would make the leap to electric cars even before 2035 (such as Mercedes or Audi) are now committed to maintaining combustion engines. They assure that there is not enough demand for electric cars to guarantee production and anticipate massive layoffs if the leap to “carbon neutral” is made.
What is now proposed is to keep plug-in hybrids alive in exchange for the driver being obliged to recharge the car in a specific kilometer cycle. Although it has not been specified how long that number of cycles would be, the punishment has been proposed: limiting the power of the car.
Technically, the car would have a software that counts the number of kilometers that the vehicle has not been used in purely electric mode. At a certain point, if the car is not recharged, the vehicle’s power is limited as a clear reminder that the time has come to plug in the car. The obvious intention is to prevent someone from buying this type of car and never using the car in electric mode.
Although from a purely economic point of view it does not make much sense, right now in Spain if you Buy a plug-in hybrid you can receive a minimum of 2,500 euros discount with the MOVES III Plan (if the car does not exceed 45,000 euros before the application of VAT) but it counts as an electric if the autonomy is greater than 90 kilometers, increasing the aid to 4,500 euros discount and 7,000 euros if a vehicle is scrapped. In addition, many cities have advantages such as free parking in limited hours zones, entering the interior of the ZBE or using the Bus-HOV lane despite only carrying one passenger inside.
In return for maintaining combustion engines, Germany wants to put a stop to traps that operate in a similar way to AdBlue, for example, which prevents starting a diesel car whose tank is completely empty.
It is not the first proposal to arrive for plug-in hybrids either. On other occasions, the possibility of fencing cities using GPS has been mentioned so that this type of automobile can only operate in completely electric mode within the city or very specific places in it (schools, hospitals…).
This is something that can already be done and German manufacturers like BMW have been setting it up for years with options in the navigator that allow you to move only in electric mode within municipalities and save the battery (or even produce it by converting the car into an electric generator) if the route involves passing through a city.
Photo | BMW
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