Hybrids with a poor climate balance

Hybrids with a poor climate balance

This time at the start: The fully electric Honda e:Ny1 and Jeep Avenger, the hybrid Honda Civic and Subaru Crosstrek, the diesel-powered Mercedes GLC and the petrol Mini Countryman and Skoda Karoq. "The results are as different as the drive types: While the electric cars achieve the maximum rating of five stars, two of the three combustion engines and a hybrid achieve three stars. At the end of the field we have another petrol engine, the Mini Countryman, and - right at the back - the hybrid Subaru Crosstrek with 2.5 stars," summarizes ÖAMTC technician Dominik Darnhofer.

Purely electric vehicles have a decisive advantage in terms of their ecological footprint: there are no emissions whatsoever when driving. Added to this is the high efficiency of the electric motor, which has a positive effect on the indirect CO2 emissions that arise during the generation and provision of the charging current. “We also take these emissions into account in the Green NCAP,” explains the ÖAMTC expert. “That’s why range and efficiency are also important criteria for electric cars.” In the current Green NCAP, the compact SUVs Honda e Ny1 and Jeep Avenger are convincing in every respect. Darnhofer: "In our driving tests, for example, the Avenger covered a distance of 361 kilometers, which is very close to the 394 kilometers specified by the manufacturer. We see the greatest potential for improvement here in cold temperatures and driving on the highway at higher speeds - both of which increase consumption, which results in more frequent charging and thus more CO2 emissions." It's similar with the Honda e:Ny1: During the driving tests, consumption was around 17 kWh/100 km; in the cold test, this value increased to over 40 kWh. Nevertheless: E-cars are currently the most environmentally friendly vehicles and are therefore important for the CO2 reduction necessary to achieve the climate goals.

The current Green NCAP study shows: The Honda Civic 2.0 i-MMD e:HEV has an efficient hybrid system that helps to significantly reduce CO2 emissions in all test scenarios. The Civic's biggest problem: pollutant emissions are extremely high despite the particle filter. This means it is only enough for three stars in the Green NCAP. Two combustion engines, the Mercedes GLC and the Skoda Karoq, perform equally averagely. "This is where the problems typical of each type of drive become apparent: The GLC, which we tested in the diesel version, emits comparatively few pollutants thanks to robust exhaust gas aftertreatment. The greenhouse gas balance, however, is in great need of improvement. The Karoq with a gasoline engine has pollutant emissions in the middle range, while it has better control of greenhouse gases," says Darnhofer. The Mini Countryman (petrol) is somewhat weaker: despite “mild hybrid” support, its average efficiency and high CO2 emissions are only enough for 2.5 stars. At the end of the field there is a hybrid, the Subaru Crosstrek. The ÖAMTC expert explains: "Subaru also relies on all-wheel drive for the 2024 Crosstrek and - rather rarely - on a boxer engine. The manufacturer tries to compensate for the efficiency disadvantages of this configuration with a hybrid system, which is only somewhat successful at very low speeds. In all other scenarios, gasoline consumption is high, which leads to corresponding deductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Unfortunately, this is only enough for two out of five green stars."