Mercedes-Benz and Hyundai defend plug-in hybrids

The head of Daimler and Mercedes-Benz, Ola Kallenius, has hit back at critics who say the environmental friendliness of plug-in hybrid vehicles is overstated.

Unlike full battery-electric cars, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) incorporate an engine as well as a battery, eliminating range anxiety and giving them a relatively short electric-only range but a longer total range than an equivalent EV.

However, as a result, they’re heavier and therefore consume more fuel than an equivalent conventional (solely combustion-powered) vehicle, and many owners rarely recharge their battery once it’s depleted.

This has led to criticism that PHEVs are far less efficient than their makers claim because they are driven mostly in non-electric mode.

But Kallenius told Automotive News Europe that as the EV-only driving range of new-generation PHEVs increases, more owners will drive in zero-emissions mode more of the time.

“When it comes to plug-in hybrids, we are now on the third generation of those cars, but a lot of the talk about them is still based on data from the first generation where the batteries were smaller and the range was shorter,” he said.

Kallenius said that as the EV range of new PHEVs improves, more drivers will spend less time with their engines running.

“Many customers can drive back and forth to work for the whole week in full-electric mode,” he told ANE.

As an example, plug-in hybrid versions of the upcoming new Mercedes-Benz C-Class offer a pure-electric range of up to 100km – double that of their predecessors, thanks to a fourth-generation PHEV system incorporating a more powerful 25.4kWh battery that can be fully recharged in just 30 minutes.

Furthermore, the latest PHEVs recharge their batteries more effectively while driving and data shared by Benz drivers via the ‘Mercedes me’ smartphone app will allow them to see how efficiently they drive compared to others.

Combined with gaming-style graphics in the instrument cluster, this is designed to encourage PHEV owners to use less fuel as they drive in the real world.

“Along with technologically mastering this challenge, we are also looking to change people’s driving behaviour by encouraging them and working with them during this journey,” said Kallenius.

Separately, Hyundai Europe CEO Michael Cole also defended plug-in hybrid vehicles, telling Automotive News Europe that the new Tucson PHEV’s 56km EV range was sufficient.

“That is probably more than enough to cover the daily commute of most people in Europe,” Cole told ANE. “I still think the technology offers a CO2 reduction in real terms, with a lot of customers using it to travel emissions-free a good share of the time under the right conditions.”

The defence of PHEVs by Daimler and Hyundai comes as the European Union plans to begin collecting real-world emissions data via devices installed in new cars, with the aim of ensuring that actual fuel consumption aligns with figures certified under the latest WLTP testing regime.

“We all know that we need a standardised [fuel consumption] measurement for certification,” said Kallenius.

“That is why we switched to WLTP from NEDC. But your individual consumption can vary depending on how you drive.

“The EU will be monitoring this data, and so will we because it is in our interest to help our customers get the most out of the technology.”