While most hybrids are said to use one to two litres of fuel per 100km, a study claims they need six litres on average.
Plug-in hybrids use three times more fuel than manufacturers claim
Plug-in hybrids use three times more fuel than manufacturers claim, analysis has found. While most hybrids are said to use one to two litres of fuel per 100km, a study claims they need six litres on average.
The Fraunhofer Institute used 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. 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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Some manufacturers claim that their plug-in hybrids use between one and two litres of fuel per 100 kilometres, much less than petrol or diesel vehicles.
Patrick Plötz of the Fraunhofer Institute told German broadcaster SWR his thoughts.
“Then one could say a manufacturer who does not comply with the (emissions) limits on the road may have to pay a penalty,” he said.
Porsche referred to “differing usage patterns”, which SWR said influenced fuel consumption, after the study.
Porsche insisted its fuel consumption measurements were in line with legal requirements.
The auto maker said: “The fuel consumption figures of our vehicles are based on the legally prescribed EU measurement procedures.” These, it said, ensured “uniform and comparable values across Europe”.
“Deviations from individual real-world consumption figures can arise due to different usage profiles and external conditions,” such as road conditions, or driver behaviour, the company told SWR.
The Labour Party government will continue to allow the sale of hybrids after 2030 until 2035, although new petrol and diesel car sales will be outlawed by the end of this decade.
The European Union changed its phase-out rules in December, allowing manufacturers to comply with a 90 per cent tailpipe emissions reduction target from 2035 onwards.
