Since the EU passed a regulation banning the sale of ICE cars from 2035, European manufacturers have been trying to find a solution to resist the invasion of cheap Chinese cars. The price of EVs has started to rise and buyers have increasingly chosen hybrids. However, now PHEVs could be a problem for manufacturers.

A recent EU study showed that plug-in hybrids used electric motors between 70 and 85 percent of the time, but the reality was very different. A closer look at the data showed that drivers used the combustion engine more often than previously thought, lowering the use of electric motors to less than 50 percent.

The study showed that drivers did not charge the batteries as needed, but used combustion engines that emitted more CO2. Therefore, the EU adjusted the calculation of CO2 emissions of PHEVs in normal use, increasing the efficiency factor, the percentage that runs on electricity, and manufacturers extended the electric range to counteract this. However, manufacturers had to install more powerful charging systems (up to 50 kW) and report electricity consumption so that the EU could update its CO2 calculation model.

It should not be forgotten that EVs must account for at least 30 percent of total sales, which is currently almost impossible for most manufacturers. This could give an opportunity for manufacturers to attract a larger number of customers by reducing the prices of hybrid cars, but also bring a new headache because Asian manufacturers, which are leading in electrification, have greater opportunities compared to the competition.

Source: Automotive News Europe, Photo: Land Rover