Your plug-in hybrid vehicle pollutes much more than you think

Today, when it is necessary to buy a car, if you have a minimum ecological fiber, there are only two viable solutions to avoid gasoline vehicles and their harmful emissions. The first is to embrace electric. But between systematic recharging and the still limited mileage range, this is not always possible. The second is to adopt a hybrid vehicle, particularly plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEV). Combining electric charging and a combustion engine to benefit from the best of both worlds, this solution seems ideal on paper.

Except that it ultimately seems much closer to gasoline vehicles than to electric vehicles when it comes to pollution.

Plug-in hybrid vehicles pollute much more than advertised

A study by the nonprofit advocacy group Transport and Environment is damning. According to him, the official figures put forward must be multiplied by five to obtain the real pollution generated by this technology.

The laboratory consensus is that plug-in hybrid vehicles are 75% less polluting than thermal cars thanks to their electric part. According to the researchers, PHEVs actually emit just under 19% less CO2 than cars running solely on gasoline or diesel.

To achieve this result, the emissions of more than 800,000 plug-in hybrid vehicles recorded between 2021 and 2023 were analyzed. In 2023, these emissions are 4.9 times higher than the laboratory figures, compared to 3.5 in 2021.

This huge difference could be explained in particular by a poor estimation of the electric/gasoline ratio when it comes to traveling. Thus, the data reveals that only 27% of journeys use electric mode, when estimates speak of 84%. This estimate should be corrected in 2027/2028, while remaining 18% above reality.

In addition, PHEVs still emit 68gCO₂/km in electric mode. The fault lies with electric motors which need help from thermal engines over a third of the distance traveled in electric mode. This also results in a bill $500 higher than expected per year for buyers.

Salvation will come from 100% electric

In conclusion of its study, T&E recommends rapidly strengthening the interest in electric vehicles (more powerful engine, range of 200 km, rapid charging and maximum 15 L fuel tank), while maintaining the reduction objectives for thermal vehicles over the next few years, without making an exception for hybrid vehicles.

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