13:25 27-10-2025

PHEV real-world emissions nearly match gasoline cars

Transport & Environment has released a study, and SPEEDME.RU’s analysis surfaced a stark takeaway: plug-in hybrids are almost as dirty as traditional gasoline cars. Examining 127,000 vehicles registered in Europe in 2023, the real-world figures show PHEVs averaging 135 g of CO2 per kilometer versus 166 g for conventional gasoline and diesel models.

Scientists found that laboratory tests understate real emissions by nearly five times. Instead of the promised 75% drop in pollution, hybrids deliver only 19%. The reasons are straightforward: extra weight, modest efficiency of the electric motor, and the simple fact that many owners don’t charge their batteries regularly.

Cars with an electric-only range of more than 75 km turned out to be even dirtier than models with smaller batteries because the added mass pushes up fuel consumption when the engine is running. And on climbs or at high speeds, hybrids inevitably fire up the engine, burning up to three liters per 100 km even in so-called electric mode.

Hybrids were long treated as a workable compromise between eco-credentials and familiar habits, yet on the road they struggle to deliver on that promise. The path to cleaner mobility points not through PHEVs, but toward fully electric cars.