Random EV Thoughts 2 - The Jimnying

Not surprising as the differential in VRT is 34% from PHEV → Petrol, because the manufacturers simply lie about the true gCO2/km.

The article published in T&E is an answer to the recent calls from ACEA to postpone stricter rules for calculating gCO2/km. ACEA is trying different methods in amalgamating PHEVs with BEVs as one. T&E is calling PHEVs pollution cheat devices. Nothing new.

In calculation the WLTP for PHEVs, there is the so called Utility Factor which takes into consideration the ratio of km driven on electric vs petrol. This is due to change to reflect the reality on the roads. Studies done by different parties, even official ones (see the links below) show that statistically, the manufacturers overestimate this UF from around 20% measured, to 80+%. What's also worrying is the fact that this ratio is decreasing on larger batteries PHEVs showing an increase in the emission as the cars are heavier, lugging larger unused batteries. Also if the electric motor is not powerful enough it will always need help from the engine which kinda defeats the purpose. The bottom line is manufacturers claim 1.5l/100km petrol which is very hard to achieve.

Put this in the context "I'm buying PHEV because I do lots of mileage in a day and I do not want to charge on the way." Fair enough but a Dublin to Cork and back will not burn only 9l of petrol so you're lied by the car maker which in the end cheats the tax system.

https://climate.ec.europa.eu/news-your-voice/news/first-commission-report-real-world-co2-emissions-cars-and-vans-using-data-board-fuel-consumption-2024-03-18_en

https://www.transportenvironment.org/articles/plug-in-hybrids-now-emit-five-times-on-average-what-official-tests-claim-eu-data

https://theicct.org/publication/real-world-phev-use-jun22/

if you ignore environmental impact, as most drivers do, the phev is an excellent gateway solution towards BEV. Most people I know charge daily as the running costs matters to them - meanwhile a person I know with a €130k panamera phev has never charged it ever he reckons and is delighted to have €120 tax or whatever it is.

People buy PHEVs because of concerns over range. If you just want a car to be a car, you don’t want to be messing with journey calculations every time you want to leave the county.

Meanwhile EVs are getting cheaper, more efficient and better range - and will be a consideration next time around.

Theres 2000+ car fires a year in Ireland. They get plenty of practice. Don't be worried.

That doesn't enrage via baited headlines however.

€34,995 anyone for a UK imported discontinued vehicle made by a bankrupted manufacturer with buggy software, extremely limited parts availability and zero after market support?

Someone has taken a serious haircut….

That someone that took the haircut was most likely in the UK. The dealer selling it here now probably paid £10K-£15K for it and is looking to double their money if they can land an idiot to buy it.

it’s bizarrely over priced - a future courtcase for mis-selling waiting to happen

Not sure about the courtcase, an old saying about fool and their money comes to mind, but you'd really want to be a fan of Henrik Fisker to spend more than pocket money for one of those. Broken windscreen would write it off due to the lack of parts. I guess the seller is trying to lure in somebody uninformed.