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These vehicles fail to deliver on their promises: they are not as cost-effective as anticipated and present another surprising issue.
These vehicles have “never lived up to their promises,” according to a damning report by the Belgian organization Transport & Environment, a leading advocate for sustainable transport and energy in Europe. The group examined official manufacturer test figures alongside real-world driving data collected by the European Environment Agency (EEA) from 127,000 vehicles. Their findings are quite startling: cars designed to be economical are ultimately not as cost-effective as they appear. Moreover, although marketed as more environmentally friendly, they fall significantly short of being truly eco-conscious.
Indeed, the study reveals that plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) pollute on average five times more than advertised. They emit an average of 135 g of CO₂ per km, compared to 166 g for gasoline and diesel cars—a mere 19% reduction, far from the 75% decrease touted by manufacturers. Even in electric mode, plug-in hybrids emit 8.5 times more than official tests suggest. “The electric motors in PHEVs generally lack the power for high speeds or steep inclines, necessitating the intervention of the combustion engine. On average, the combustion engine provides power for nearly one-third of the distance traveled in electric mode,” explains Transport & Environment.
When it comes to costs, the figures are also mismatched. On average, plug-in hybrids cost drivers an additional 500 euros per year for fuel and charging compared to the amounts determined during laboratory tests. Both in terms of pollution and cost-effectiveness, the issue lies in a detail: to extend the range of the cars in electric mode, the size of the batteries has been increased. And a bigger battery means a heavier battery. A heavier vehicle consumes more fuel in combustion mode, which means more CO₂ emissions and more zeros on the fuel bill. Neither economically advantageous nor ecologically beneficial, plug-in hybrids are ultimately “one of the biggest scams in automotive history,” laments Lucien Mathieu, automotive director at Transport & Environment.
It is important to note that in the European Union’s “zero emissions” goal, all new cars introduced to the market must be carbon neutral by 2035. This news is not welcomed by manufacturers, as hybrids currently account for 8.6% of car sales in Europe this year. They obviously wish to continue marketing them beyond the 2035 deadline and are thus pressing legislators to recognize them as clean vehicles.
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