IS DIESEL DOOMED? IT'S A HYBRID FUTURE

TECH TORQUE

- FRASER STRONACH

 

ELECTRIC Vehicles (EVs) may be making all the headlines when it comes to the future of the automotive industry, but it will be hybrids making up the significant numbers in the future transition away from traditional petrol and diesel cars. What’s more, hybrids are set to evolve away from the now relatively common non-plug-in models towards an increasing adoption of plug-in technology, which is the logical halfway step between cars that rely entirely on their internal combustion (IC) engines and EVs.

By EVs I’m referring to battery EVs, as it’s hard to see how hydrogen fuel-cell EVs will ever become mainstream given the difficulty in creating widespread hydrogen distribution infrastructure.

The problem ahead for the auto industry is the proposed ban on the sale of new diesel and petrol cars in many major markets around the world within the 2030-35 timeframe. Right now, this may be no more than political flag-waving but, nevertheless, the writing is on the climate-change wall.