GUEST C OMMENTARY
Wolf-Henning Scheider
Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles –
a Key Technology for CO2 Reduction
For the automotive industry, 2020 is of particular importance.
In the industry, “2020” is almost synonymous with the new CO2
fleet limit of 95 g CO2/km, which will be required then for newly
registered passenger cars in the European Union. Compared
to the 130 g/km for 2015, this stricter limit is a quantum leap
already, but pressure from the policy sphere and society contin-
ues to increase. We are currently experiencing an unprecedented
range of demands for rapid action in regard to climate protection.
ZF clearly supports the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement,
but forgoing mobility is not a realistic solution in many respects.
Germany’s transportation sector, and road transportation in
particular, contributed 162 million t of carbon dioxide equivalent
to about 19 % of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2018.
While parallel efforts are needed in other areas, we should use
all available technical solutions to quickly reduce this transpor-
tation-related share on a sustainable basis. Openness to technol-
ogy is indispensable for making a contribution to CO2 reduction
in the various vehicle segments.
With regard to passenger cars, we are convinced that plug-in
hybrid vehicles represent a pragmatic solution. The two main
reasons why pure battery-electric vehicles are not gaining accep-
tance more quickly are that the public charging infrastructure
is very unevenly distributed and cannot be expanded overnight.
10 8
is Chief Executive Officer
of ZF Friedrichshafen AG.
© ZF
This makes end customers unsure about making an invest-
ment. ZF advocates offering plug-in hybrid drives and design-
ing them for a reliable electric range of at least 100 km, with
this concept being referred to as EVplus. In this way, the daily
mobility requirements of an average family can be met almost
completely with electricity. This includes commuting to work,
which is less than 50 km in each direction in almost 90 % of
all cases in Germany. The situation in the USA is quite similar:
according to AAA, average mileage covered in one day is about
31 miles or around 50 km.
An EVplus emits no nitrogen oxides locally in city centers
and is associated with significantly lower particulate matter
values. The discussion regarding driving bans and the result-
ing reduced mobility will therefore be sustainably resolved
in this manner. The internal combustion engine ensures the
necessary range on less frequently driven extended trips,
which is an important factor for broad acceptance by the
public. In the forthcoming fourth generation of our eight-speed
automatic transmission, we have not only further improved
mechanical efficiency. With the plug-in hybrid variant, up
to 160 kW of power can be generated purely electrically.
We are thus contributing to further reducing fleet consump-
tion with attractive drive solutions.