China, unplugged
Just as China is toughening up on vehicle laws to cut down on pollution, an entirely different development is taking place among consumers. There, buyers of PHEV not only never recharge their batteries, but remove them entirely in order to save weight and consequently fuel, making the bridge technology crumble.
This is worrying news indeed, as the vehicles then simply function as a regular combustion engine, eliminating any environmental benefits, while the drivers still reap the rewards that the government is subsidizing EVs with. This may have an effect on the policies being rolled out to minimize pollution, however it would be difficult to enforce. It may take until fossil fuels reach prices above electrical energy and forces drivers to make the change in the interest of saving money.
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