Diesel has had a bad rap in recent years,


on the public network of chargers. PHEVs offer a potential good middle


ground. They pair a regular engine with one or more electric motors and a battery pack that can be charged up externally for maximum efficiency, or via the onboard engine when needs be. The distance the PHEV can travel on


electricity alone depends on the energy capacity of the battery pack (usually quoted as kWh). Most have several modes of operation, including fully electric, though the default is usually to let the car’s computer work out the most efficient mode of operation, combining power from the electric motor and engine as needs be. A major advantage of such an arrangement over a pure EV is that, when the battery pack is drained of charge, the engine can power the car on its own, so there’s no such thing as worrying about where the next battery charge is coming from. The disadvantage is that, when the battery charge is low, a PHEV isn’t particularly economical, so, to get the most from it, owners must charge it up regularly. On top of that, PHEVs are quite expensive to buy, despite grants in place. Most of them use a petrol engine, which means they don’t return great fuel economy on a long run. Diesel-fuelled PHEVs are rare, but they’re undoubtedly more economical for long journeys, if expensive to buy in the first place.


but it genuinely is still the best technology for those that regularly cover high mileages. New diesel cars are generally cheaper to buy than PHEVs or EVs and though there has been plenty said about NOx pollution from diesels, the latest generation use advanced technology to clean up the exhaust fumes considerably. This is reflected in the low ‘NOx levy’ values being applied to the newest diesel models on the market. That was implemented more to restrict the importation of ‘dirty’ older diesels from the UK. Diesel power particularly suits larger


vehicles, as the petrol engine needed to produce equivalent performance would use a lot more fuel. And don’t forget that we still need to keep an eye on our carbon emissions, and lower fuel consumption means lower CO2 emissions. Diesel remains better than petrol on that score, though simple petrol power, which is relatively cheap to buy, still works


Renault Zoe


very well for smaller vehicles and for those that don’t cover high mileages. The same can be said for hybrid technology that does not require the owner to plug the car in. Toyota has been one of the largest proponents of this in recent years (even coining the phrase ‘self-charging’ in a bid to illustrate that no cables are necessary) and it works well at lower speeds. If it can be paired with a low purchase price, then it’ll continue to garner more fans and buyers. In a bid to summarise, new car buyers


need to carefully consider their budget, annual mileage and space needs before they dive into electrification. Electric cars will undoubtedly make up for a large proportion of the mix on our roads in the years to come, but until all of their disadvantages are outweighed by their considerable advantages, there will be a place for diesel, petrol and hybrid power. Choose the one that best suits you now. AI


Auto Ireland 2020


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