- Many plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) are rarely plugged in, as shown by a handful of studies.
- As a result, their combustion engines burn more fuel and emit more harmful gases.
- A controversial proposal from Germany wants to limit the car’s power if the owner never plugs it in.
Plug-in hybrids are either the best or the worst, depending on who you ask. They’re half combustion car, half EV, with many of the upsides and downsides of both. They can, however, work for people who don’t have a long commute, can charge at home and have a little range and charging anxiety.
They’re a stopgap solution, make no mistake about it, but they have their advantages. The problem, however, is that many rarely get plugged in, as shown by a few studies. As a result, their emissions are much higher than what the official figures predicted they would be, and owners who don’t recharge the batteries seldom benefit from the joys of all-electric, silent driving.
That may not be a problem in the United States, where carmakers can stuff whatever engine they want under the hood of a new car. But in the European Union, plug-in hybrids are in the crosshairs of the upcoming 2035 ban on cars that emit carbon dioxide.
We’ve long heard some European automotive industry voices complaining about the hard deadline that’s steadily approaching. Well, some voices now want the European Commission to extend a lifeline to PHEVs beyond the 2035 cutoff, with a big asterisk for owners.
Right now, plug-in hybrid drivers can do what they want. If they don’t plug in, the fuel economy goes down the drain, and the engine works harder, but that’s about it. But that might change soon if Germany’s VDA, the largest auto industry association in the country, has its way.
Speaking with the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, VDA President Holdegard Müller said it would make sense to “motivate” PHEV drivers to drive on electric power more often.
“In the future, plug-in hybrids could be designed so that regular charging is mandatory,” Müller said for the German newspaper. In other words, PHEV drivers could be forced to charge after a certain distance. If they don’t plug in, the power output of the car would be limited, enticing the driver to find a charger and thus reset the counter to be able to benefit from the full power output. That may come across as a bit heavy-handed to some.
The German automotive industry association’s chief didn’t provide more details, but as far as proposals go, this one is bound to get some serious attention. It sure got mine, and I’m a PHEV owner who religiously plugs in every day, trying to squeeze the most electric range possible out of my Volvo’s battery. I can only imagine what’s going through the minds of owners who never bother to plug in.
To be clear, this proposal might never become a reality, but if it does, its effectiveness hinges on how far people can drive their PHEVs before having to plug in to regain full power. If it’s once every 1,000 miles, it’s more than doable. If it’s once every 100 miles, it might prove problematic, seeing how most hybrids with a plug need several hours to go from 0% to 100% state of charge.
My PHEV tops out at 3.7 kilowatts and needs at least five hours for a full charge. It’s perfectly fine for overnight charging, but if I had to stop for hours on the highway during a long road trip, I would prefer getting behind the wheel of another car.
