EV Mania Hasn’t Killed Hunger for Hybrid Trucks
This may not be great news for the climate. A person who swaps a gas truck for a hybrid one will reduce their emissions. An analysis of 2020 pickup trucks found that a hybrid truck emits almost 30 percent less greenhouse gas over its lifetime than a solely gas-powered counterpart. But global climate goals generally require not only fully electrifying most driving but also driving significantly less. In the short term, hybrids may help car companies meet more stringent emissions regulations. But ultimately, “the hybrid is a gas car,” says Gil Tal, who directs the Electric Vehicle Research Center at UC Davis. Moving more people into battery electric vehicles and hybrids that plug in should be the goal, he says.Right now, though, the hybrid truck push is rooted in recognition that many car b...