![]() ![]() It is worth pointing out, though, that of the three cars T&E chose to test, only the Peugeot is really a new model. Last year, the Government ended purchase incentives for PHEV models, but they are still taxed according to their CO2 emissions, meaning most owners will only pay €140 per year.Įven so, T&E suggests that switching from a PHEV to a fully electric model would still save car buyers considerable amounts of money: On average, an EU driver switching from the Peugeot 308 plug-in hybrid to a Citröen eC4 would save €4,800 over four years while the electric Renault Megane would save €1,300 compared to the PHEV version, and owning a Tesla Model 3 instead of the BMW 3 Series PHEV would save €2,600. One big issue is that PHEV models are currently taxed, both for private and company use, on their official CO2 figures, which tend to be exaggeratedly low owing to the ways in which the laboratory testing of cars tends to favour the electric half of their powertrain.Įffectively, then, their use is being subsidised by higher motor tax payers. ![]() However, according to T&E, geofencing technology does not guarantee zero-emissions driving in cities and, potentially, risks increasing CO2 emissions outside such zones. This tech has been put forward as a potential mandatory fit for PHEV models in the future, to make sure that they live up to their emissions promises. The BMW comes with “geofencing” technology which automatically saves electric power for driving on zero-emissions power when in an urban area. In the tests, when tested with an empty battery, the BMW, Peugeot and Renault emitted between five and seven times their claimed CO2 on the road. The figures become even worse once you start driving exclusively on the petrol engine on a flat battery. Lawmakers should treat PHEVs based on their actual emissions.” ![]() In city tests, just one of the PHEVs has the electric range advertised, while all three emit more than claimed in commuter driving. But real-world testing shows this is a myth. However, new research from environmental pressure group Transport & Environment (T&E) claims to show that plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs for short) can emit as much as 70 per cent higher emissions than claimed, even when driven with a full battery charge.Īnna Krajinska, vehicle emissions manager at T&E, told The Irish Times: “Plug-in hybrids are sold as the perfect combination of a battery for all your local needs and an engine for long distances. The combination of a small battery, which gives you a potential 50km (or more, in many cases) range for short commutes and regular journeys, plus a petrol (rarely a diesel) engine for longer journeys should in theory be an ideal compromise between combustion and electric power for many drivers. Plug-in hybrid cars have been promoted as a useful halfway house to full vehicle electrification, especially at a time when the public charging network for EVs is still in its infancy. ![]()
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