Automakers are known to have cheated on emission tests in the past.
PHEV fuel economy ratings are typically achieved in ideal driving conditions, not the real world.
We at Motor Illustrated have often complained that manufacturers’ claims with regards to PHEVs and their fuel efficiency numbers were out of sync with reality. On most occasions, our fuel consumption results exceeded posted numbers or worse, were greater than the hybrid’s ratings. EU regulators have noticed more or less the same thing and are about to clamp down on the illusion that they are greener vehicles.
Essentially, plug-in hybrid vehicles are hybrids fitted with a small yet heavy battery which, when fully charged, will deliver between 30 and 50 km of electric mobility. The numerous issues here range from the fact that many owners do not plug in their vehicles to the internal combustion engines constantly running no matter the state of charge.
Anna Krajinska, emissions engineer at T&E, said: “For years, the emissions of plug-in hybrids were based on unrealistic driving conditions. The new rules reflect the reality that PHEVs pollute far more than carmakers claim. Governments which still incentivise the purchase of these fake electric vehicles need to stop those harmful subsidies now.”
Beginning in 2025, the new rules will see a significant reduction of the utility factors and focus on the share of actual electric driving done. According to CleanTechnica, PHEVs emit three times more carbon dioxide meaning they consume three times more fuel than official numbers. From 2027, testing and determining actual emissions and fuel efficiency will be based on how PHEVs they are driven in the real world.
