Automakers Hedge Their Bets with Plug-in Hybrids

Friday, May 10, 2024

Global carmakers are stepping up their investment in hybrid technologies as consumers' growing wariness over fully electric vehicles forces the industry to rapidly shift gear, according to top executives. A combination of still high interest rates and concern over inadequate charging infrastructure has chilled buyers' enthusiasm for fully electric cars, prompting a rebound in sales of hybrid vehicles that most of the industry had long regarded as nothing more than a stop-gap.

Posted by lamplighter at 05:31 PM | 27 COMMENTS | permalink | Comment on This Entry |

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... Global carmakers are stepping up their investment in hybrid technologies as consumers' growing wariness over fully electric vehicles forces the industry to rapidly shift gear, according to top executives.

A combination of still high interest rates and concern over inadequate charging infrastructure has chilled buyers' enthusiasm for fully electric cars, prompting a rebound in sales of hybrid vehicles that most of the industry had long regarded as nothing more than a stop-gap.

Tapping the resurgent demand for hybrids was a priority, executives from General Motors, Nissan, Hyundai, Volkswagen and Ford told the Financial Times' Future of the Car Summit this week.

"We have to invest heavily in the future of plug-in hybrids," said Mark Reuss, the president of General Motors. "We have to be agile. We have a global tool chest of technical things that we can deploy fairly rapidly."

The view was echoed by Jos Muoz, global president of Hyundai, which is now considering manufacturing hybrids at its new $7.6 billion plant in Georgia given more drivers are balking over buying fully electric vehicles. ...

#1 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-05-10 02:35 PM | Reply

Plug in hybrids are great solutions as long as you're able to charge every night. Drive around town on electric power, burn gas for road trips. Toyota finally stopped making the prius as intentionally ugly as possible. The new plug in prius is a great option.

I simply prefer the simplicity and reliability of pure-EV myself. You have more space in the car due to the lack of engine and a lot less maintenance and repairs also due to the lack of engine and transmission. Not to mention they're faster and tons of fun.

#2 | Posted by SpeakSoftly at 2024-05-10 06:06 PM | Reply | Funny: 1

"growing wariness over fully electric vehicles"

This has been almost entirely stirred by uninformed online agitators, constantly vilifying EV's for their (lack of) range. EV's do make perfect sense for local commuter vehicles that get charged at a home location. They are still not very practical for long road trips. But the hybrids will fit that use quite well.

Better technology to store energy will take time to develop. And it's very possible, a couple of decades down the road, that batteries won't be the best solution.

Although slowing climate change is a critical issue, sometimes I feel that battery EV's are being pushed too hard. And at the cost of other innovations.

#3 | Posted by Whatsleft at 2024-05-10 06:11 PM | Reply | Funny: 2

I'm still planning on going full electric with my next car. I've been driving a plug-in hybrid for 8 years now, it's been the best car I've ever had. But it would be nice to have something a bit faster, this thing's 0-60 is on par with a Toyota Celica GT-S from the '80s, that's a bit slow by today's standards. It would be nice to have something closer to my bike's sub-4 0-60.

And of course it would be nice to go from getting gas roughly monthly to never.

Turdla is of course out of the running, as is GM with their lack of CarPlay on new cars. The price has to drop a bit on a used Mustang GT for me to decide it's time.

#4 | Posted by DarkVader at 2024-05-10 06:21 PM | Reply

Turdla is of course out of the running, as is GM with their lack of CarPlay on new cars. The price has to drop a bit on a used Mustang GT for me to decide it's time.

#4 | Posted by DarkVader

Prices on used EVs have dropped a ton. Look at the used Etrons, Polestar 2s, EV6s, Ioniq5s, and i3s if you dont need much range.

#5 | Posted by SpeakSoftly at 2024-05-10 07:06 PM | Reply

If you park on the street like I do then Plug in hybrids still aren't a great option. If they get the charge times down to like 5-10 mins for an EV then I'd probably do it. Since 10 mins once or twice a week isn't too bad.

#6 | Posted by byrdman at 2024-05-10 09:05 PM | Reply

Most people want freedom to decide what works for them not what bought and paid for crooked politicians decide. Just like they do not want Dem 10mph speed limits in NYC. The public will refuse to obey fools.

#7 | Posted by Robson at 2024-05-10 09:34 PM | Reply

#7 | Posted by Robson

Most people want to avoid catastrophic climate change. Your insecure need for a massive truck doesn't outweigh the good of humanity.

#8 | Posted by SpeakSoftly at 2024-05-11 01:25 AM | Reply

I own an 18 year old Honda Civic Hybrid. 137k miles. 37 mpg. It refuses to die. With new and used car prices still high, and interest rates high...I can't imagine getting less than 30 mpg from any replacement.

#9 | Posted by jw2 at 2024-05-11 08:08 AM | Reply

I've found that those who care the most about alleged climate change are just feeling guilty because they are literally the most wasteful people on the planet. It's pure projection

#10 | Posted by THEBULL at 2024-05-11 10:16 AM | Reply

#10 | POSTED BY THEBULL

Does MAGA plan revenge on EV?

Whose car will you kill first?

#11 | Posted by Zed at 2024-05-11 10:43 AM | Reply

@#9 ... I own an 18 year old Honda Civic Hybrid. ...

For my usage, I do not see the need to lug heavy 300-mile capable batteries around when most (95+%) of my trips in the car are 20 miles or less.

For that reason, hybrids looks quite good to me.

#12 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-05-11 11:40 AM | Reply

It's pure projection

#10 | POSTED BY THEBULL

You mean like everything you post here?

#13 | Posted by donnerboy at 2024-05-11 11:54 AM | Reply

Your insecure need for a massive truck doesn't outweigh the good of humanity.

#8 | POSTED BY SPEAKSOFTLY AT 2024-05-11 01:25 AM | REPLY | FLAG:

Can't hear you over how hard this 6000 pound Lightning is peeling out. It's EV, must be good for the planet.

#14 | Posted by sitzkrieg at 2024-05-11 05:38 PM | Reply

2000 pounds of weight to take something that was fun everywhere and reduce it to something only capable of stoplight to stoplight once or twice before it over heats.

Hybrids will remain the kings of performance for the next several decades.

#15 | Posted by sitzkrieg at 2024-05-11 05:42 PM | Reply

Most people want to avoid catastrophic climate change.

And "catastrophic climate change" is a bunch of --------. Most people just are tired of being lied to about it. And we also are tired of the U.S. being blamed for all of it. Go talk to China and India before you open your mouth to us.

Your insecure need for a massive truck doesn't outweigh the good of humanity.

#8 | Posted by SpeakSoftly

It's none of your damn business what anyone else has a need for.

#16 | Posted by boaz at 2024-05-12 10:44 AM | Reply

- It's none of your damn business what anyone else has a need for.

Is that a Jesus quote?

#17 | Posted by Corky at 2024-05-12 10:59 AM | Reply

"Most people just are tired of being lied to about it."

When I see one of these jacked up diesel "blowing coal"; their own wprds, which is somehow forcing extra fuel into the system just so some assh**e can piss off people in other vehicles? Are you saying I'm just imagining that? I.ve seen them do it lots of times and have heard them laughing about it and BOAZ knows it too!

#18 | Posted by danni at 2024-05-12 03:09 PM | Reply

"It's none of your damn business what anyone else has a need for."

What about a school shooter who needs a gun?

#19 | Posted by snoofy at 2024-05-12 03:14 PM | Reply

"And "catastrophic climate change" is a bunch of --------."

So what?
That's none of your business either.

#20 | Posted by snoofy at 2024-05-12 03:15 PM | Reply

"And we also are tired of the U.S. being blamed for all of it."

You'd love nothing more than the United States to be a global follower, and not a global leader.

Which tells us that you don't even know what you were doing for Uncle Sam in Afghanistan.

I'd be mad too, but it would be mostly at myself.

Hmmm, maybe you are mostly mad at yourself, and your little "I'm so mad at liberals" act is just the tip of your sad iceberg.

#21 | Posted by snoofy at 2024-05-12 03:20 PM | Reply

When I see one of these jacked up diesel "blowing coal"; their own wprds,

They call it "Rolling Coal". They even have a website where you can post your smoke videos and buy parts... like a giant exhaust chimney to mount in the box.

#22 | Posted by REDIAL at 2024-05-12 03:30 PM | Reply

Still waiting to see a Cybertruck rolling coal...

#23 | Posted by snoofy at 2024-05-12 03:31 PM | Reply

Still waiting to see a Cybertruck rolling coal...

If that thing made smoke and noise they wouldn't be able to build them fast enough.

#24 | Posted by REDIAL at 2024-05-12 03:37 PM | Reply

Yeah he really doesn't understand the truck market.

#25 | Posted by snoofy at 2024-05-12 03:38 PM | Reply

#23-#25

I saw a cybertruck IRL the other day. It looks like Elon played a racing game in the early 90's and liked it so he would have his team build him that car, which game who knows look at vehicle sprites from any 90's game and they all look a bit like a cybertruck.

Teslas understanding of trucks is about that of an 8 year old boy.

#26 | Posted by TaoWarrior at 2024-05-12 04:32 PM | Reply

I've found that those who care the most about alleged climate change are just feeling guilty because they are literally the most wasteful people on the planet. It's pure projection

#10 | Posted by THEBULL

Oh is that what your extensive survey concluded?

#27 | Posted by SpeakSoftly at 2024-05-12 08:03 PM | Reply