Plug-in hybrid: downsides in operation
VEHICLES Electric and emission-free through the city, then a long distance on the highway with gasoline. That's the high song of plug-in hybrid cars. But what sounds so convincing also has downsides. Specialists at Empa Dübendorf have investigated the exhaust gas situation during typical plug-in operation of the vehicle. Pollutants during the warm-up phase Problematic is the [...]
Specialists at Empa Dübendorf have in fact investigated what the exhaust gas situation is like during typical plug-in operation of the vehicle.
Pollutants during the warm-up phase
The catalytic converter that cleans the exhaust gases from the gasoline engine is problematic. After a long electric drive, the catalytic converter is cold and therefore not functional for minutes after the engine has been started. And it is during this warm-up phase that the engine emits the most pollutants.
Empa technicians note that a vehicle "emits more pollutants in the first three minutes after a cold start than during a 1000-kilometer drive with the engine at operating temperature."
Heating the exhaust gases and the catalyst
Conclusion: Even the most modern plug-in hybrid models emit pollutants for minutes at every cold start. The only way to solve this problem is to preheat the exhaust gases and the catalytic converter. And there is still considerable development work to be done.
