Observations on the Driving of Plug-In Hybrid Cars in Real-World Conditions

Abstract

Sustainable mobility requires a clean and decarbonised road transport sector. Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) stand as an appealing transitional solution for mitigating transport emissions due to their reduced lifetime Fuel Consumption (FC). However, their contribution to air quality and fuel savings depends on actual Real-World (RW) usage and the share of electric driving. This study analyses the use of PHEVs in RW conditions and the influence of vehicle technology thereon. An ad-hoc experimental driving campaign has been designed and is being conducted, with several volunteers driving a PHEV and a conventional Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicle used as reference. Comparing the RW collected data from drivers, and the two cars, provides insights into understanding the actual use of PHEV vehicles and how the vehicle technology influences the users’ driving behaviour. The preliminary results of this novel campaign indicate that the drivers adopted similar habits when moved to the PHEV model. Additionally, an analysis showed clear correlations between the battery state of charge (SOC) at the beginning of the trip and the corresponding trip FC. It is concluded that the increase in PHEVs sales can contribute to transport decarbonisation, provided that the vehicles are driven as expected by the regulations. In this sense, policy objectives could also address usage patterns such as the battery charging frequency.