Car makers are failing to make the most of the fuel saving potential of hybrid technology according to the latest report from the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS).
While hybrid technology is becoming increasingly commonplace on new cars, many don’t offer much in the way of fuel efficiency improvements over their standard combustion counterparts, despite auto firms having the know-how make sure they do. The organisation’s new Hybrid Scorecard looks at 34 hybrid to examine them for fuel efficiency, environmental improvement, consumer value, and the ‘forced features’ auto makers install that artificially inflate the cost of some models.
“It’s not just the Toyota Prius and everyone else anymore,” said Don Anair, a senior UCS engineer and the scorecard’s author. “Automakers from Ford to Hyundai and Honda to Nissan are using hybrid technology to boost fuel economy and cut pollution without breaking the bank for consumers.”
Green? You’re taking the Touareg!
The scorecard details that nine of the 10 top-selling hybrids from January 1 through April, 2011 get more than 30 miles per gallon (mpg) according to US ratings, and score above average for environmental improvement and value.
However, the not-for profit group also found that only 13 of the 34 hybrids reviewed cut more than 25 per cent of the global warming pollution emitted by their conventional vehicle counterpart. The worst offender, the Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid, emits less than 10 per cent less, an all-time low on the scorecard.
“Automakers are still producing hybrids that fail to deliver on the technology’s potential to dramatically improve fuel economy,” Anair said. “Their focus on maximizing power over consumer value risks the future of hybrid technology.”
The organisation say the finding support the call for stricter fuel economy rules in the USA to encourage car makers to make the most of the fuel sipping ability of hybrid technology.
Setting new standards
The Obama administration is currently proposing that the CAFE standards reach a 56.2 mpg standard by 2025. The proposal is attracting some opposition from industry although environmentalists argue that the new standards would not only cut transport emissions but the cost associated with running a vehicle too.
“Strong clean car standards would ensure that automakers make the most of hybrid technology to boost fuel economy and cut emissions,” Anair said.
The Prius remained the top non-luxury model in the scorecard’s environmental improvement category, delivering a more than 40 per cent reduction in global warming pollution compared with its closest conventional models. Other non-luxury models scoring high on environmental improvement included the Ford Fusion Hybrid, Honda Civic Hybrid and Toyota Highlander Hybrid.
So-called ‘muscle’ hybrids that emphasize power over fuel efficiency offer little in the way of environmental gain. The aforementioned Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid is just one example. UCS also singled out the new Porsche Cayenne Hybrid and BMW’s X6 and 750i ActiveHybrids as among the worst-rated hybrids for environmental improvement.
