Hybrids: petrol or diesel?

Hybrid vehicles have traditionally been petrol-electric but last year Peugeot launched the 3008 Hybrid4 – the first production diesel-electric hybrid. This has been followed by the 508 Hybrid4, the 508 RXH and Citroën’s DS5 Hybrid4.

Volvo is launching the world’s first diesel plug-in hybrid, the V60 Plug-in Hybrid.

The argument is that Europe is a diesel market so it makes sense to have diesel rather than petrol hybrids. But other manufacturers take a different view.

Toyota has sold a diesel hybrid commercial vehicle in Japan for a number of years, but doesn’t have a diesel hybrid passenger car in Europe.

Ewan Shepherd, general manager, Toyota & Lexus Fleet Services, says this is due to four main reasons: “cost” (a diesel engine is more expensive to produce); “the environment” (diesel engines cannot achieve the same emission levels as petrol engines in terms of NOx and PM); “technical” (due to higher compression ratios on diesels, vibrations are much stronger during the starting and stopping of the engine.

Shepherd says: “This is fine for a commercial vehicle but not for a passenger car in our market”); and “marketing” (there is already a good choice of fuel-efficient diesel cars so the sales number of diesel hybrid are limited).

Honda also argues that “petrol hybrids make the most sense”, while Ford says petrol hybrid delivers “the broadest appeal and affordability”.

The two hybrids currently on offer from Audi (A6 and A8) are petrol but it suggests that in higher segments “the combination of TDI and electric motor does definitely make sense: you get a maximum of power and torque at the same time as a maximum of efficiency”.

BMW has opted for petrol with its Active Hybrid 3, 5 and 7.

 

Future plans

Audi The next hybrid on offer is an A3 PHEV plug-in hybrid.

BMW A concept Active Tourer was unveiled at the Paris Motor Show so a plug-in hybrid could be on the cards.

Ford The C-Max Energi, a petrol plug-in hybrid, is timetabled for launch in Europe in 2014.

Citroën There are no launch dates or confirmed plans. Citroën’s approach is to develop opportunities with a range of hybrid technologies including e-HDi (micro-hybrid with stop&start), Hybrid4 and plug-in hybrid.

Honda Honda R&D has developed three new hybrid systems which will be out in the next two to three years.

Lexus A GS 250h is due next year.

Peugeot Plug-in hybrid technology has been developed but its launch is at least 18 months away.

Toyota A new Auris hybrid will be out next month.

Vauxhall Extended range technology is Vauxhall’s current focus.

Volkswagen A petrol-electric plug-in hybrid Golf is likely in 2014/15.  It also revealed a concept car with a petrol-electric drivetrain last year, and a diesel-electric powertrain at the Geneva Motor show this year.

Volvo All cars based on Volvo’s new scalable platform architecture will be able to have a hybrid drivetrain.