However, with the gradual promotion of new energy vehicles, the issue of batteries, a crucial source of power, has become increasingly pressing. Although no one wants to discuss it, it's a significant hurdle for both manufacturers and consumers. While hybrid vehicles are expensive, they offer a solution that addresses both the need for new energy and battery concerns, making them increasingly popular among manufacturers. Industry experts suggest that hybrid technology is a vital component of the overall development path for electric vehicles, and that the development of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles should currently be prioritized over pure electric technology.
According to reports, hybrid vehicles were the most popular exhibitors at the 2015 Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition. Of the 103 new energy vehicles on display, almost half were hybrid products, and more than half of those were plug-in hybrid models.
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles are gaining popularity.
For a long time, pure electric vehicles, which were supported by car purchase policies and touted as environmentally friendly, were hyped up, but the market response never showed an effective increase.
This is why, at this year's Shanghai Auto Show, pure electric and hybrid vehicles, which were previously used to "showcase" the brand, stole the spotlight. Reporters found that the number and variety of hybrid vehicles exhibited at this year's show exceeded those of the previously favored pure electric vehicles, and almost all the new energy vehicles exhibited by foreign brands were plug-in hybrid models.
Among mainstream brands, the Audi A6L e-tron, BMW X5 plug-in hybrid, and Mercedes-Benz GLE500e 4MATIC all made their debut in Shanghai. GM also brought the Cadillac CT6 plug-in hybrid, while the Volvo S60L PHEV is a hybrid model designed specifically for the Chinese market.
Industry experts point out that there are reasons why plug-in hybrids are receiving so much attention from major manufacturers. Currently, pure electric vehicles are severely limited by battery technology; insufficient driving range, limited charging infrastructure, and high costs all restrict their commercialization prospects. In contrast, hybrid vehicles do not have range limitations. The automatic switching between the two systems makes it possible to expand the vehicle's uses and is not overly restricted by charging infrastructure.
According to forecasts from Smex Automotive Information Consulting, global sales of pure electric vehicles will be less than 1 million by 2020, but sales of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles will reach 1.35 million. By 2025, global sales of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles will reach 2.7 million. 2015 or 2016 was the turning point when plug-in hybrid electric vehicles surpassed pure electric vehicles.
Pure electric technology still faces bottlenecks
"Without a doubt, battery technology is the key to the success of new energy vehicles." Industry experts pointed out that the biggest challenge for the new energy vehicle industry in the future is whether it can manufacture better batteries and how to improve the convenience of charging.
For companies, besides the ability to manufacture better batteries, cost is also a crucial factor in the industrialization of a new product. Ren Yong, General Manager of Changan New Energy Automobile Co., Ltd., recently stated that for Changan, pure electric vehicles are currently only in the experimental stage, and it will take a long time before they can be mass-produced.
Ren Yong said, "The current state of battery technology is restricting the development of our new energy. Consumers now hope that new energy vehicles will have a long driving range. Given that the current batteries have not yet met the requirements, the only way is hybrid power."
Honda's Taiwan External Affairs Minister, Gan Kok Seng, also stated that there are two major challenges to address in popularizing automotive electrification technology and achieving a low-carbon society: the state of automotive technology itself and the improvement of the environment for vehicle use. Therefore, Honda is taking hybrid vehicles, which are not constrained by charging infrastructure, as the first step in promoting electrification in Malaysia.
Yan Guocheng said that Honda and Tsinghua University have conducted joint research, using actual roads in Taiwan to test fuel consumption. Compared with gasoline vehicles, hybrid vehicles reduce fuel consumption by about 60% after losing the engine's operating frequency. Even at high speeds, the fuel consumption can be reduced by 40%. Therefore, the experiment proves that the popularization of hybrid vehicles can greatly reduce fuel consumption. So they should be popularized first because they can indeed play a role in energy conservation and environmental protection, without relying on newly built infrastructure.
"I really want to buy an electric car to solve the license plate and traffic restriction issues, but the battery is something I'm really worried about. Buying a car isn't that expensive now, but after three years, will the battery need to be replaced? How much will it cost? These are all things I'm considering. Moreover, current insurance policies exclude electric vehicle batteries, so I really can't feel comfortable buying one," Ms. Wang, a consumer, told reporters.
Plug-in hybrids should come first.
Dong Yang, Executive Vice President and Secretary-General of the my country Association of Automobile Manufacturers, stated at the my country Automotive Forum that developing plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) is a crucial factor in alleviating the current problem of insufficient charging infrastructure. PHEVs should be given equal importance to, or even greater priority than, pure electric vehicles. Regarding future policy support for hybrid vehicles, Feng Xingya, Executive Vice President of GAC Group, stated that hybrid technology is a vital part of the overall development roadmap for new energy vehicles, and many companies, including GAC Group, have not abandoned hybrid technology.
Regarding the future development direction of new energy vehicles, Cao Guangyu, Vice President of Shanghai International Automobile City Co., Ltd., stated that the key word for new energy vehicles is ultimately "vehicle." Why develop new energy vehicles? First, for environmental protection; second, for the transformation of multiple energy structures; and third, to promote the development of a new industry. New energy vehicles, especially those combining electric drive with traditional engine drive, can effectively improve the user experience, and are not merely a means to address the energy crisis. Historically, all pure electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles with technological breakthroughs have achieved great success in the market. Therefore, the most crucial factors are good products and good services.
