Yahoo – AFP,
Tangi Quemener, 16 Sep 2015
 |
| The
electric powered BMW i8 (R) and i3 are seen next to a charging point at the 66th IAA auto show in Frankfurt am Main, western Germany, on September 15, 2015 (Tangi Quemener) |
The
electric powered BMW i8 (R) and i3 are seen next to a charging point at the
66th IAA auto show in Frankfurt am Main, western Germany, on September 15, 2015
.
Frankfurt
(AFP) - Facing tougher emission standards, European automakers are rushing to
roll out hybrid cars, but they face an uphill battle to catch up with Toyota
which popularised the technology 18 years ago.
The
Japanese giant will be showing its latest Prius -- the fourth edition since
1997 -- at the IAA motor show in Frankfurt this week.
 |
A Mercedes
electric drive car is
plugged for charging during the 66th
IAA auto show in
Frankfurt am Main,
western Germany, on September 15,
2015 (AFP Photo/Daniel
Roland)
|
In fact,
the concept is not new, and Porsche lays claim to the first petrol-electric car
prototype built by its founder as early as 1900.
But it is
the Japanese giant that has managed to popularise the technology, first with
17,600 units in 1998, before sales exploded with its more spacious
second-generation Prius.
Today, the
car has become a symbol of environmental responsibility and Toyota's rivals,
including Honda, Nissan, General Motors and Ford, have jumped into the game.
However,
Toyota has enjoyed a substantial lead, having already sold more than eight
million hybrids.
The Prius
is by far the top-selling new car in Japan, where the hybrid market makes up
close to 40 percent of total sales.
By
comparison, hybrids make up just three percent of the US market -- and the
share is shrinking with dropping petrol prices.
The hybrid
has also remained a largely marginal affair on the other side of the Atlantic.
But it is
slowly "starting to find a market because the cost equation is starting to
balance out for some consumers," said Francois Jaumain from PwC.
Notably,
several European governments offer subsidies or lower tax rates for owners of
hybrid or electric vehicles.
 |
The Audi
quattro electric drive concept SUV is presented at the 66th IAA
auto show in Frankfurt
am Main, western Germany, on September 15, 2015
(AFP Photo/Odd Andersen)
|
Toyota
hopes to double its sales in Europe to 400,000 units by 2020, the Japanese
group's executive vice president Didier Leroy told AFP.
German
carmakers join race
Flavien
Neuvy, who heads the Cetelem observatory on automobiles, added that consumers
feel more confident about hybrids because, unlike with fully electric vehicles,
drivers are less worried about being stranded at the side of the road given the
petrol backup.
He believes
that hybrid sales in Europe could rise to 10 percent of total volume.
Europe's
latest emissions standard -- Euro 6 which took effect September 1 -- has also
made hybrids more attractive as it will increase the cost of running cars
powered by polluting diesel fuel.
In
addition, car markets are required to meet the EU target of 95 g/km of CO2
emissions by 2020, giving them further incentives to find greener solutions.
According
to a study by credit insurer Euler Hermes, Germany is currently trailing with
average emissions of 130 g/km in 2014, dragged down by luxury energy guzzlers,
while France has recorded 112 g/km.
The German
auto industry is therefore pumping "massive investments into hybrid and
electric technologies", the study said.
That is on
full display at the Frankfurt show.
 |
The new
electric Porsche Mission E concept car is presented at the 66th IAA
auto show
in Frankfurt am Main, Western Germany, on September 14, 2015
(AFP Photo/Odd
Andersen)
|
BMW is
showcasing its new rechargeable hybrids, while rival Mercedes-Benz expects to
launch 10 models by 2017.
Volkswagen
already has one hybrid version of its best-selling Golf line.
Audi and
Porsche too are in the race.
Absent for
now, however, are the French makers.
PSA Peugeot
Citroen, whose high-end diesel hybrids have so far failed to gain traction
commercially, has indicated that it will launch hybrid gas-electric cars by the
end of the decade.
Renault
meanwhile is banking on electric cars.
It has so
far not produced any hybrids although its chief executive Carlos Ghosn said he
does not rule out the possibility that its recently presented Talisman line
would one day be hybrid.
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