For fleets the plug-in hybrid solution

'More newly registered plug-in hybrid cars can, if used appropriately, make a significant contribution to reducing CO2 emissions because users of this type of car can already drive significant distances exclusively in electric mode'. This statement was made by André Schimdt, president of Vdik (the German association of vehicle manufacturers), commenting on October's registration figures which saw plug-in hybrids in Germany grow by 18.2 per cent, while pure electric registrations fell by a further 4.9 per cent after the sharp drops that followed the end of incentives for their purchase in the final months of last year. In fact, the virtues of the plug-in hybrid are outstanding and the public is beginning to realise this. As is well known, the plug-in hybrid works with a conventional petrol or diesel engine and an electric motor powered by energy recovered during deceleration and electricity fed in from outside via a plug. And all this also saves on fuel consumption and, of course, costs. Needless to say, the benefits of the plug-in hybrid could also be of great help in reducing the CO2 emissions of company fleets for several reasons including, very importantly, the fact that company drivers, who show great resistance to switching to the electric car, would overwhelmingly favour the plug-in hybrid because, compared to the electric car, it would free them of the worry of running out of fuel due to the difficulty of finding a petrol station during a business trip or during private use of the car received as a benefit. The result of increased use of plug-in hybrids, if we believe what Vdik's president says, and we have no reason to doubt it, would be an acceleration in the reduction of overall emissions from company car fleets. An acceleration that would be much needed, especially in Italy, if we consider that the share of electrics in our company car fleets averages 3%. Of course a policy would be needed to favour plug-in hybrids in fleets, i.e. significant incentives for their purchase. It may seem out of place to talk about incentives, but we do so for future reference and in the interest of the environment.