Yet another study shows plug-in hybrids aren’t as clean as we thought
A new report by the European Commission adds yet another real-world data point showing that plug-in hybrid electric vehicles create much more emissions than we previously thought – by an average of 3.5 times as much as lab testing indicates.
Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) are thought to bring the best of both worlds – a large enough battery to take care of your daily tasks, paired with a gas engine for longer trips or when you can’t find a charger. There are downsides in cost and complexity, but the powertrain choice does provide more options than others.
For this reason, PHEVs have long been thought of as an ideal transitional technology between gas vehicles and electric ones. People would be able to do most of their driving on electricity and only occasionally use gas.
The problem is… that doesn’t happen.
Multiple recent studies have shown that in the real world, plug-in hybrids pollute much more than their labels would indicate – though still less than pure-fossil vehicles – both because they overstate their capabilities in electric-only mode and because people simply don’t plug them in.
The latter is referred to as “utility factor” – the percentage of time that a PHEV gets used on electric drive rather than its combustion engine. In reality, PHEV utility factors are much lower than emissions testing credits them for, which means that in practice, PHEV emissions are much higher because they use the combustion engine more often than expected.
Previous studies were done in Europe by T&E and TU Graz (T&E has done multiple studies on this) and by the ICCT utilizing data from California. In each case, PHEV emissions and fuel use were much higher than expected, though it differs for various regions and car models. Models with larger batteries – “EV-first” designs – tended to have higher utility factors and lower emissions.
However, this report is important because it was done by a government entity, rather than by NGOs.
The new EU Commission report shows “emissions gaps” – that is, the difference between expected and real-world emissions for PHEVs – that are very high in all examined countries in Europe. Gaps fell between 176% (Finland), up to 287% (Poland).
The “emissions gap” differs from country to country due to patterns in vehicle use. For example, Germany tends to have lower utility factors, and thus a high emissions gap of 284%, because PHEVs are often leased as company cars, giving companies significant benefits, and then driven like gas cars and never plugged in. But the numbers are high regardless of country.
An emissions gap also exists for petrol- and diesel-fueled vehicles, with each of them also emitting more than WLTP numbers would indicate – and therefore getting lower mileage, and having higher fuel costs, than consumers would expect by looking at the label. But those emit about ~20% more, whereas PHEVs emit on average over 200% more.
This data is particularly relevant given recent discussions about regulatory requirements for vehicles. Regulators have softened some targets, in many cases giving PHEVs additional credit for emissions reductions that data shows us are underwhelming.
For example, California’s 2035 phaseout for gas vehicles still allows 20% of cars to be PHEVs – which we now have additional evidence will emit much more than expected. Though those rules do have certain minimum requirements for PHEVs (which nevertheless could perhaps use updating to reflect real-world findings).
Also, the EPA’s new rules, finalized last week, offered multiple pathways for manufacturers to comply, one of which relies heavily on PHEVs. But it also explicitly acknowledged that current utility factor estimates are too high and need to be revised downwards, but pushed back implementation of the new utility factors to 2031 instead of 2027 – allowing PHEVs to continue to pollute for years further.
The Commission’s report will be used in future EU regulations to inform utility factors in official test procedures. A rule change is already in the plans for 2025, but the report says that the rules might need to “further adjusted” given the real-world data within it.
Electrek’s Take
We’ve long thought that PHEVs are only good if they actually get used, and in order to do that, you need to design PHEVs to be used on battery charge only.
There are a few good PHEVs that fit this description, like the Chevy Volt and BMW i3, and these models tend to have much higher utility factors than other models do. But cars which, for example, kick you out of EV mode as soon as you hit the accelerator, aren’t particularly useful in terms of avoiding fossil fuel use.
And now here we have data to confirm, once again, that PHEVs are not as clean as some – like Toyota, for example – might have you think.
I certainly know people who have had less-serious PHEVs and never or rarely plugged them in – like a friend who had an early Plug-in Prius that he didn’t even bother to plug into 120V because of its minuscule battery, and because his car’s electricity use wouldn’t be enough to make it worthwhile to install a charger and set up time-of-use charging for discounted electricity as his house.
Fortunately (?), PHEVs have also historically had the least consumer uptake, so there aren’t that many cars currently affected by this undercounting of emissions. But it is still important that we arrange regulations around this new knowledge of real-world emissions.
While EV and conventional fossil-fueled hybrid sales are both rising rapidly, PHEV sales have had significantly more modest sales growth. Part of the reason for this is likely because people who aren’t interested in plugging in will just buy a conventional hybrid, and people who are interested in plugging in would prefer the simplicity of full electric drive.
There are solutions going forward, though. As suggested in the previous T&E and ICCT studies, PHEVs should be designed with an electric-first mentality, with large enough batteries to be practical for everyday use, and regulatory schemes should use these real-world values and be centered around ensuring these vehicles be used on electric power instead of being given tax breaks for just driving around on gas. Regulators should change their schemes to take this knowledge into account – and they should do it now, not in 2031.
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We are finally getting a look at Kia’s sporty new electric SUV. With starting prices under $30,000, the 2025 Kia EV5 GT Line looks ready to compete with the best in China.
Kia unveils the new 2025 EV5 GT Line electric SUV
Kia unveiled the new 2025 EV5 GT Line at the 2024 Guangzhou Auto Show, giving the already impressive electric SUV a stylish upgrade.
After introducing the EV5 last summer, Kia claimed it “brings a new era of electric mobility to the compact SUV sector.” The smaller electric SUV includes much of the advanced new tech and software in Kia’s flagship EV9 but in a more affordable package.
At 4,615 mm long, 1,875 mm wide, and 1,715 mm tall, the EV5 is a direct rival to Tesla’s Model Y (4,760 mm long x 1,921 mm wide x 1,624 mm tall).
Kia launched the EV5 in China last November, starting at just $21,000 (149,800 yuan), undercutting top-selling rivals like the Tesla Model Y.
Powered by a BYD Blade battery, the base EV5 is rated with 329 miles (530 km) CLTC range. The longer-range model, with an 88.1 kWh battery, gets up to 447 miles (720 km) CLTC range.
Now, we are finally getting a look at the upgraded 2025 EV5 GT Line model. As you can see, the GT Line treatment includes a sleek blacked-out exterior design with 20″ aluminum alloy wheels.
The AWD powertrain boasts up to 316 hp (233) kW for a 0 to 62 mph (0 to 100 km/hr) sprint in about six seconds. Kia’s new GT Line model gets up to 360 miles (580 km) CLTC driving range with fast charging (30% to 80%) in 27 minutes.
Kia upgraded the interior with a leather-wrapped two-tone steering wheel and other blacked-out elements. It also includes Kia’s next-gen ccNC infotainment system with dual 12.3″ center and driver display screens.
What do you think of the new EV5 GT Line? Should Kia launch it in the US? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
Source: TheKoreanCarBlog, AutoSpy
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As part of Zero Motorcycles’ new approach to affordability, the California electric motorcycle maker is increasingly relying on strategic partnerships in the industry to help lower costs and leverage production experience. Now we’re getting word that one of the company’s key partners, Hero MotoCorp, is closing in on its first Zero-enabled electric motorcycle model.
It’s giving a whole new meaning to “from Zero to Hero.”
Last year, Zero joined forces with India’s largest motorcycle maker, Hero MotoCorp, to develop a new electric motorcycle model. Zero obviously eyed Hero’s massive manufacturing footprint and decades of production experience, and it looks like that partnership is closer than ever to revealing the fruits of its labor.
“As far as EV motorcycles, as we have talked about, that we are developing in partnership with Zero Motorcycles. And that’s something that while we have not given out the timeline, but the work is in progress. And it will be coming in the middle-weight segment. I would say it’s in the advanced stage. We haven’t announced the timeline as yet, but we would be looking at something which would not be too far off,” explained Hero MotoCorp CEO Niranjan Gupta during the company’s Q2 earnings call with analysts.
While targeting the more sought-after middleweight market, Hero confirmed that the company would also produce a version for the more performance end of the motorcycling market.
Hero has massive production chops to its name, but the company is relatively inexperienced with electric two-wheelers. Hero has just two models of electric scooters currently available under its Vida brand, and no fully-fledged electric motorcycles of the style for which Zero is known.
Zero and Hero have yet to provide specifics about where such a motorcycle might land in the international market, but recent moves by the company could provide a few clues.
Last month, Zero announced that it had partnered with Chinese motorcycle maker Zongshen to produce its new Zero XE and XB electric motorcycles. The move comes as part of Zero’s recently announced “All Access” initiative, which is built around adding more affordable models to the Zero lineup. Priced at just US $6,494 and $4,195, the Zero XE and XB are the most affordable Zero bikes we’ve seen yet.
There’s more where those came from, too. Zero claims that it will have six unique models, all priced at under US $10,000, in the next two years.
Based on the advanced state of the Hero partnership bike, it’s likely that such a model could be revealed as part of Zero’s All Access program.
via Fortune
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California has proposed offering $7,500 state EV tax rebates to residents if Trump kills the federal EV tax credit, Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) announced today.
Trump has repeatedly said that he would eliminate the $7,500 EV tax credit for new vehicles and $4,000 for used vehicles created by the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act if he won the election.
In response, Newsom today proposed creating a new version of the state’s Clean Vehicle Rebate Program, which launched in 2010 and was phased out in 2023. California started with a $5,000 rebate for EVs and increased to $7,500. During its lifetime, the Clean Vehicle Rebate Program funded more than 594,000 vehicles and saved more than 456 million gallons of fuel.
Newsom’s announcement says that funding for the state EV tax rebates could come from the “Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, which is funded by polluters under the state’s cap-and-trade program.”
Newsom said in a statement:
We will intervene if the Trump administration eliminates the federal tax credit, doubling down on our commitment to clean air and green jobs in California.
We’re not turning back on a clean transportation future – we’re going to make it more affordable for people to drive vehicles that don’t pollute.
Newsom’s announcement didn’t say how the rebates would work, but he’s expected to share more details during an appearance today. The governor would need the backing of the state legislature to revive the rebate program.
California continues to lead the US in zero emissions vehicle adoption, surpassing 2 million electric, plug-in hybrid, and hydrogen-powered vehicles sold across the state. By 2035, all new cars and light trucks sold in California must be zero-emissions vehicles, along with 50% of all new heavy trucks.
Read more: New CA smart grid law will help solar and fix the grid by… simply replacing wires
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