“Dangerous distraction:” Plug-in hybrids pollute up to seven times more than advertised

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, or PHEVs, have been found to pollute “significantly more” than claimed on both city and commuter routes, according to new figures from Transport & Environment (T&E).

T&E, Europe’s leading clean transport campaign group, published this week the results from new on-road tests for a number of PHEVs, including a BMW 3 Series, a Peugeot 308, and a Renault Megane.

Each model, according to the T&E report, titled Plug-in hybrids 2.0: A dangerous distraction not a climate solution, emitted more CO2 than advertised when tested on the road, even when starting with a full battery.

According to tests conducted by Graz University of Technology and commissioned by T&E, the BMW 3 Series PHEV polluted three times more than its official rating when driven on a typical commuter route.

Meanwhile, both the Peugeot 308 and Renault Megane PHEV models performed better than the BMW, but still polluted 20% and 70% more than claimed, respectively, despite a relatively short round-trip distance covered of 55 kilometres.

Moreover, in city driving, the Peugeot had just over half (53%) of the advertised electric range on a single charge, while the BMW had only 74%. Only the Renault Megane had the electric range the carmaker claimed.

The report said that PHEVs are not suitable for clean cities.

“Plug-in hybrids are sold as the perfect combination of a battery for all your local needs and an engine for long distances. But real-world testing shows this is a myth,” said Anna Krajinska, vehicle emissions manager at T&E.

“In city tests, just one of the PHEVs has the electric range advertised, while all three emit more than claimed in commuter driving. Lawmakers should treat PHEVs based on their actual emissions.”

T&E’s tests also looked at BMW’s new geo-fencing technology which switches the PHEV to zero-emission electric driving when in cities and found that, when tested in the city of Graz, the BMW 3 Series still switched its engine on twice.

The tests concluded that BMW’s geo-fencing technology does not guarantee zero-emissions driving in cities, and potentially risks increasing CO2 emissions outside cities.

Maybe most damning of all, when each of the cars were tested with an empty battery, each vehicle emitted between five and seven times more than their claimed CO2 on the road.

T&E believes that its new tests conducted on PHEV vehicles prove “beyond doubt” that lawmakers should base taxes for PHEV models on their actual pollution levels, and not on the figures published by carmakers.

Unsurprisingly, T&E also believes that lawmakers should stop subsidising PHEV models.

“PHEVs should not be treated as zero emission even if they have geo-fencing capability,” said Anna Krajinska.

“Private car and company car taxes for PHEVs should be based on the actual CO2 reduction delivered. Governments should end all purchase subsidies for PHEVs in fleets and instead encourage companies to use battery electric cars which are truly zero emissions.”