The ECO label under scrutiny: the DGT could withdraw this advantage from cars with Mild Hybrid technology

For some months now, all cars have been required to display the DGT label clearly, to indicate visibly what type of engine they use and to be able to drive in areas with traffic restrictions, such as the well-known Madrid Central zone. These labels, as we have already told you in this article, identify the type of car according to the type of emissions it produces. Basically, they range from the zero-emission category down to the C label, intended for the most polluting vehicles. And in second place, we find the ECO label, which covers vehicles with low emissions.

The cars that carry this label are plug-in hybrids with a fully electric range of no more than 40 kilometres, cars powered by LPG, CNG and LNG. Also included are Mild Hybrid cars, the increasingly popular mild hybrids. These cars, which we have been telling you about in several articles, use a starter-generator motor and a 48-volt battery that supplies electricity to the electrical systems of the car to avoid fuel consumption.

And here is the problem: the distribution of ECO labels is to be reviewed, because although it is true that these are hybrids, it is not the same type of hybrid we are used to, and although there are certain advantages to their use, they may not be suitable for the ECO label. Although the electric motor is connected to the crankshaft and helps the combustion engine at certain moments, it does not provide all the energy needed to move the car on its own.

The problem arises because cars with Mild Hybrid technology tend to be high-end models with fairly large engines. As a result, their emissions are not really reduced, and the engines fitted to these cars do not truly belong to the ECO category. This has led the DGT to consider important changes in how these labels are granted. To begin with, it could refuse the Mild Hybrid models the ECO label, which could already cause serious problems for those who want to buy this type of car and enjoy its advantages in cities.

It remains to be seen whether the DGT will also act against cars with Mild Hybrid technology that have already obtained the label, which will certainly cause problems for owners of these models. Fortunately, there are not many models with this technology, all of them high-end cars, and they could have another solution to avoid problems driving and parking in city centres.