Aug. 27, 2021—President Joe Biden grabbed headlines when he announced a plan to urge automakers toward zero-emission powertrains for half of new vehicles by 2030.
The plan includes directly addressing charging station infrastructure and moving forward with stricter emissions and efficiency standards.
While the move is in step with plans that most automakers already had for electrification, it isn’t a mandate from the White House. And the plan leaves a lot of wiggle room for internal combustion hybrid powertrains to dominate production for years to come. For repairers and servicers, that means a hybrid approach to training and tools as well—managing battery packs while still performing that oil change for those models.
Don't fret just yet. Oil changes are still needed for the vast majority of new and upcoming vehicle models.
Hybrids Welcome
To be sure, these new electrification goals can be a boom for battery-electric vehicle production. The New York Times reported that companies such as Tesla, with its all-electric fleet, are ahead of the curve with the goal of the White House’s plan. Also in line to benefit are slow-to-market, all-EV startups such as Rivian, which could get extra incentives to bring models to consumers.
“In between are General Motors, Ford Motor and Volkswagen, which have begun selling tens of thousands of electric cars but depend on vehicles with internal combustion engines for most of their revenue and profit,” according to The Times.
Though plug-in hybrids still have smaller market penetration than conventional, they’re seen as crucial transitional options for customers who aren’t fully sold on EVs. During a press event, Biden tooled around in a Jeep Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrid.
Small Market Share
Biden’s plan includes plug-in hybrids but not conventional hybrids. Conventional hybrids, like the common Toyota Prius, have limited use for the battery, which charges using the internal combustion engine.
Plug-in hybrids are able to drive longer solely on electric power, and those battery packs are charged through an electrical plug. After the battery is depleted or driving requires more power, the internal combustion powertrain kicks in.
This move from conventional hybrid to plug-in hybrid will be a big move. According to registration data compiled in the 2022 Auto Care Association Factbook, consumers registered around 383,000 conventional hybrids in 2020 compared to 61,000 plug-in hybrids. Battery-electric vehicles made up 251,000 registrations.
The bottom line is that as your shop prepares to handle a new crop of battery-electric vehicles, your technicians’ skills in the internal combustion arena will not go to waste as hybrids will remain in the mix for years to come.
Image: Stellantis/Jeep
