For some time there have been doubts about the viability of the plug-in hybrids. Halfway between conventional hybrids and electric ones, which are considered the future, many consider that they are in no man's land and that they do not live up to what they promised. Now real data is shown from a sample of more than 600,000 cars of this type and the results confirm some of those concerns. The point is that They emit more than triple what they promised and there are several explanations for this.
The first thing is to say that this is an official study by the European Commission, which carries collecting information since 2021 in that sample of more than half a million plug-in hybrids that have been sold on our continent. With fuel consumption control devices (OBFCM) it has been shown that CO2 emissions are around 3.5 times higher than those given in WLTP approval. This translates into 100 g/km more CO2 in the case of emissions, but also around 4 l/100km more in the case of consumption.
In diesel and gasoline cars, the deviation was around 20%, something more acceptable than these data revealed for plug-in hybrids. Although the sample and also the duration of the study still need to be increased to obtain more precise data, It is something that worries in Europe. They are going to begin to observe how this gap evolves, since it is not normal for there to be so much deviation. To a large extent, it is due to people's use, since many only buy this type of vehicle for its label and benefits, never really get around to charging them.
When the battery and electric range are not used, a plug-in hybrid will pollute much more than a conventional combustion car. After all, it has that extra weight that the electrical system provides and is usually present in large vehicles. It is clear that the potential of plug-in hybrids is not being exploited and that something has to change. The European Commission is going to modify how your emissions are calculated in the homologation tests and from 2025 the changes will arrive so that they reflect reality.
