Manufacturing

PHEVs give Europe a compliance lifeline

Plug-in hybrids can easily record a CO2 figure of below 50 g\/km. The Porsche Panamera plug-in is shown.
Plug-in hybrids can easily record a CO2 figure of below 50 g\/km. The Porsche Panamera plug-in is shown.
October 07, 2019 04:00 AM

Automakers in Europe fear a lukewarm consumer response to the fleet of electric vehicles they are preparing to launch to comply with tougher emissions regulations. But they do have one lifeline: the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. The PHEV is in some respects an almost magical vehicle. Adding a battery and electric motor to a conventionally powered vehicle preserves most of the usability that consumers know while allowing the manufacturer to reduce carbon dioxide output by 50 to 80 percent.

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