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Plug-in hybrids use three times more fuel than manufacturers claim, analysis finds (www.theguardian.com)

submitted 2 days ago by Powderhorn@beehaw.org to c/environment@beehaw.org

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Plug-in hybrid electric cars (PHEVs) use much more fuel on the road than officially stated by their manufacturers, a large-scale analysis of about a million vehicles of this type has shown.

The Fraunhofer Institute carried out what is thought to be the most comprehensive study of its kind to date, using the data transmitted wirelessly by PHEVs from a variety of manufacturers while they were on the road.

The cars involved were all produced between 2021 and 2023. The data transmitted enabled analysts to determine their precise and real-world fuel consumption, as opposed to that stated in the vehicles’ official EU approved certification.

PHEVs, cars which combine a petrol or diesel engine with a battery-powered electric motor that is charged from an external energy point, give drivers the flexibility to be able to switch between the ecologically safer power source, and the more conventional, but environmentally more damaging one, as and when conditions allow. Manufacturers typically market the vehicles as energy efficient. On paper at least, the vehicles are said to use much less fuel, between one and two litres per 100km, than conventional cars. However environmental groups have long since voiced scepticism over the claims.

According to the study, the vehicles require on average six litres per 100km, or about 300%, more fuel to run than previously cited.

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[–] sanzky@beehaw.org 2 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (2 children)

I think the issue is driver be shoot more than the car.

eg.

-many companies bought plugin hybrids for corporate cars and handed them to employees since they would get some incentive, but employees did not have chargers at home so they just used them as a regular car.

-people buying them to get easier parking in the EV reserved spots

[–] ByteSorcerer@beehaw.org 1 points 1 day ago

Around here public chargers are ridiculously overpriced so even if you use slow chargers you end up paying more per km for a plug-in hybrid than if you only put fuel in it. And if you want to use a fash charger then it's of course even more expensive. You only get cheaper costs per km if you can charge at home.

I think the concept behind plug-in hybrids is great: The battery of an EV is by far the most expensive part, and also by far the most polling part to produce. So making a car that acts like an EV with a battery only just big enough for your daily commute, with a back-up power system for when you need to go further and to avoid range anxiety makes a lot of sense. But unfortunately they are held back from reaching their potential by lacking charging infrastructure and too high electricity costs.

[–] Don_alForno@feddit.org 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

This is explicitly about the hybrid cars using far more gas than advertized in electric mode! Meaning the combustion engine turns on in battery mode regardless (which I did not know prior to this study).

[–] sanzky@beehaw.org 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I see. there was another similar study that touched on what I mention. I assumed it was the same https://www.transportenvironment.org/uploads/files/2025_09_TE_briefing_PHEV_gap_growing.pdf

[–] eltoukan@jlai.lu 1 points 1 day ago

I'm surprised this report isn't being mentioned at all in the Guardian's article. Maybe because this is more of German matter, with a report in German with results present on German broadcast going mainly against German manufacturers. Or maybe they're making it more about fuel consumption (and consumers) than emissions.