The Guardian’s view on hybrid cars: profitable for carmakers but not very environmentally friendly | Editorial
“W“It is a hybrid future.” chirped The Economist in 2004. While electric cars sound like science fiction, this prediction seemed prescient. 20 years later, battery technology has improved dramatically; Affordable electric vehicles. Last week, it emerged that plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) aren’t very green. The sales pitch was that motorists could use “clean” battery power for city trips and dirty gasoline for long trips. This promises sustainable travel without the worry of limited range. But real-world tests, conducted by non-profit European Transport and Environment, show that plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) emit just 19% less CO2 than petrol and diesel cars – far lower than the 75% claimed in the lab.
However, hybrid cars are very profitable. Automakers can charge top prices for redesigned gasoline cars with a battery installed. They also remain attractive to policymakers keen to support the industry. By weakening its electric car targets, the UK government risks a scandal in its push for hybrid-emitting cars Five times More carbon dioxide2 than he claimed.
Europe is a battleground between climate necessity, commercial reality and political influence. Four major European car companies Averted Fines of more than €5 billion because emissions compliance was not judged based on real-world data. Switching to electric cars seems like an obvious step. After former Renault president Luca de Meo He said earlier this year Electric vehicles will not be the dominant technology in Europe for two decades. It’s not just a lack of buyers or engineering that is holding EVs back. The problem is that European automakers keep profits flowing by extracting money from hybrids and gasoline cars.
Newer rivals are stealing the march. Only the UK has becomes The largest international market for China’s BYD, the world’s best-selling electric car maker. This is without benefiting from the new electric car support plan launched by the government Exclude Chinese-made vehicles for environmental reasons. In Europe, where Elon Musk’s far-right political views have undermined Tesla’s brand loyalty, its new, cheaper model will have to adapt. compete With Chinese electric cars selling for less than £20,000.
However, even BYD may face its own reckoning. that it competitive The Edge relies on low-cost lithium iron phosphate batteries. If Toyota makes good on its promise to make solid-state batteries for commercial use by 2027, it could fall behind its competitors by offering safer power packs, faster charging, and longer range. This technology promises to make the dream of driving an electric car on a single charge from London to Milan a reality. Disabling the disabled is just capitalism. Whether it serves the community depends on the wiring of the system. Markets reward what is profitable, not what is sustainable or fair. So, if Toyota beats BYD, the question isn’t “Is this fair?” It’s “Who benefits and at what cost?”
Which brings us to the real question: Should cars, no matter how low their emissions, remain the dominant form of transportation? Relying solely on electric vehicles risks a future full of congestion and deaths on the roads – on 30 people die every week in Britain. It also overlooks the boundaries of the planets. The Global North cannot do that Monopoly Important minerals to supply vehicle fleets with electricity while producing countries lag behind. A just transition means not only cleaner cars, but fewer of them, as well as real benefits for resource-rich countries. Ultimately, we must transition away from a carbon-intensive economy. The key to achieving this is to reshape urban life around mass transit, not to pretend that the current model can continue, albeit with different engines.