Plug-In Hybrids: The new enemy?

It seems as though we are tiring of diesel vehicles being 'public enemy number one', and new demons are sought. Surprisingly, it is being discovered that Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) cars are not quite as environmentally-friendly as buyers were told. Does this situation sound familiar?

Transport and Environment (T&E) claims to be Europe's leading non-profit and politically-neutral clean transport campaign group and it calls PHEVs 'fake electric vehicles'. The group has found that PHEVs (the vast majority of which employ petrol engines) that are owned privately emit three times more carbon dioxide and use three times more fuel than their official figures state. For PHEVs used by corporates, the figure rises by five times.

T&E states that carmakers blame drivers for this discrepancy but, instead, it argues that PHEVs are,

'Poorly made with small batteries, weak electric motors, big engines and with usually no ability to fast charge.'

Importantly, the EU agrees that the official emissions and fuel consumption calculations are unrealistic and is overhauling the system, although full real-world results are not expected until 2027.

Anna Krajinska, an emissions engineer at T&E, adds:

'For years, the emissions of PHEVs were based on unrealistic driving conditions. The new rules reflect the reality that PHEVs pollute far more than carmakers claim.'

Invariably, this will mean that certain PHEVs will not be classified as low-emission vehicles any longer. While 5.5% of June's new car registrations were attributed to PHEVs, the sector is in decline, with some media outlets stating that PHEVs face an uncertain UK future.

Read our related blogs:

Lock-down advice for Hybrid cars

Cat-napper warning for hybrid owners

The Accidental Electric Car Driver

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