China's PHEV Push: A Quick Eco Win, But Is It Enough?

China has been on a mission to get more plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) on its roads. The idea is to cut down on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by using electricity instead of gas. But does this plan really work? Researchers looked into this from 2016 to 2020. They found that swapping a regular car for a PHEV can reduce CO2 by about 12. 38 kg per 100 km. That's a good start, right? Not so fast. Under China's current power grid, this benefit doesn't stick around for long. Shockingly, investing in clean energy facilities today might do more to cut CO2 than pushing PHEVs. But why is that? Well, when more PHEVs hit the road, electricity use goes up. This means power plants have to work harder, which can lead to more CO2 emissions. So, while PHEVs might seem like a quick win, they might not be the long-term solution China needs. It's like putting a band-aid on a cut that needs stitches. Maybe China should look into other ways to clean up its energy grid first.