French car giant reveals it will ditch plug-in hybrids

Car makers are taking bold stances on the fuel types they’re plotting to sell between now and the 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel models.

France’s Renault has said that it will ditch plug-in hybrid (PHEV) models, instead focusing on conventional – self-charging – hybrids only, while South Korean brand Genesis has announced it is pulling internal combustion cars from its showrooms completely.

Talking to Autocar, Renault chief executive Fabrice Cambolive said that the brand has ‘decided to bet on full hybrid’ cars – a noticeable move away from many other manufacturers such as Volvo and Volkswagen who’ve recently invested in PHEVs.

At the same time, Korean upstart Genesis has confirmed it will become a fully electrified brand in the UK by the end of 2025, phasing out any petrol and diesel-powered cars that remain in stock.

These are just two of the latest instances of manufacturers pivoting away from certain fuel types with just five years until governments begin outlawing the sale of new combustion engine cars. 

Despite the 2030 ban in the UK looming, the role of hybrid cars in the UK’s transition remains to be seen.

Renault has said it is going to ‘bet on full hybrid’ and is unlikely to be bringing out plug-in hybrids ahead of the 2030 ban on sales of new petrol and diesel models

The Government is currently consulting on what types of new hybrids will be given a five-year stay of execution beyond the 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel cars, with experts predicting it will likely only be PHEV models that will stay in showrooms up to 2035 due to their longer ranges in electric-only mode.

Ministers have been warned that Britain needs to also restrict the availability of all new hybrid cars from 2030 or it will make a ‘catastrophic misstep’ towards achieving net zero.

Renault’s Cambolive said the decision to steer away from PHEVs and to ‘bet on full hybrid’ was a no brainer, saying: ‘For me that is the easiest way to have low-consumption cars and to prepare our customers to go to EVs.’

Currently, Renault offers just one plug-in hybrid model – the Rafale E-Tech 4×4 SUV – which has a unique powertrain setup that uses three electric motors and a 1.2-litre petrol engine to produce 66 miles of EV-only range from a 22kWh battery.

Renault claims the powerful, fuel-efficient and self-charging E-Tech fully hybrid powertrain gives a combined range of 683 miles.

Cambolive gave Autocar no sense that the company will adapt its PHEV setup to other Renault models, leaving just the Rafale as the lone plug-in option.

Renault CEO Fabrice Cambolive told Autocar: ‘For me that [full hybrid] is the easiest way to have low-consumption cars and to prepare our customers to go to EVs’

Renault offers just one car as a plug-in hybrid; the Rafale E-Tech 4×4 SUV

The CEO also said that one of his ‘biggest problems’ for traditional plug-in hybrids is that ‘they consume more energy when the battery is empty’ – something that doesn’t happen with the Rafale.

The Megane and Captur were offered as plug-in hybrids until 2021, but Cambolive said that small cars as PHEVs are ‘not so interesting’ and he’s not sure ‘it’s worth it’ to make them because buyers in this market will shift straight to EVs.

He commented: ‘When you go to the lower segments, if you can’t afford to charge the car, you have a full-hybrid solution, and it’s far enough. Otherwise, you shift to EV. 

‘The plug-in hybrid was the cherry on the cake, but with advantages that are liked to the size of the car.’

It remains to be seen how Renault’s ‘decision to focus on hybrid and pure-BEV cars’ in the ‘short term’ will fit in with the UK’s 2035 plans to ban hybrid cars.

South Korean brand Genesis has confirmed it will go fully electric within 2025, and will only sell remaining petrol and diesel models from stock it currently has

Genesis to go all-electric by close of 2025 

One manufacturer doubling down on its commitment to EVs-only is Hyundai-owned Genesis.

The South Korean luxury brand has just announced that it will kill off its combustion cars as it moves to a battery electric (BEV)-only lineup by the end of 2025.

In 2025 Genesis will offer three all-electric models to UK customers: the Electrified G80 saloon, the electrified GV70 SUV and the GV60 SUV.

Petrol and diesel- powered G70s, G70 Shooting Brake and GV70 and GV80 models will continue to be sold from stock only. 

Once these are sold Genesis will only sell electrified-only cars. 

Could hybrid cars help manufacturers hit ZEV targets?

All car manufacturers in the UK are subject to the Government’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate targets.

In 2024 – the first year ZEV was made law – car makers had to sell 22 per cent EVs, but this is rising each year until it reaches 100 per cent in 2035. By the end of 2025 automakers will need to achieve 28 per cent.

The fine for missing the quota is a punishing £15,000 per model below the required threshold.

The ZEV mandate forces car makers to sell an increasing volume of EVs between now and 2035 – but hybrids might be allowed to count towards the targets

However, CO2 flexibilities in the targets mean that reducing the average emissions of combustion engine models sold counts towards yearly targets.

So, the Government’s current consultation into which hybrid models (except for mild hybrids which will be banned from 2030) can continue to be sold after 2030 could help car makers hit the ever rising targets. 

Fully hybrid models and plug-in hybrid models both cut overall CO2 emissions because they allow the car to be driven for long periods without using polluting petrol or diesel engines.

If these are allowed to be sold past the 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel cars then manufacturers will be able to hit the CO2 part of the ZEV targets easier, without having to sell so many fully electric cars – achieving some breathing room.