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Fuel for plug-in hybrids costs £1,059 a year on average, compared to £388 for pure EVs, according to a new ECIU analysis
Drivers of plug-in hybrid electric cars could be spending twice as much to fuel their cars compared to what automakers have led them to believe, think tank ECIU has today warned.
An analysis published this morning warns there is "huge gap" between the claimed efficiency of best-selling plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) and their real-world fuel efficiency.
After looking at real world driving data, the ECIU calculated the average cost of fuelling a PHEV in the UK sits around £1,059 a year, or nearly double the £560 it would cost if manufacturers' efficiency claims stood up.
The results suggest PHEVs are still cheaper to run than internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, delivering savings of £593 a year compared to the £1,652 it would cost to fuel an equivalent petrol car. But PHEV fuel costs are much higher than the £388 ECIU calculated it would cost to run a comparable battery electric vehicle (BEV).
Colin Walker, transport analyst at ECIU, said it was important drivers were made aware that PHEVs would not deliver the fuel savings promised by manufacturers and as a result would be "much more expensive" to run than expected.
"Some drivers likely see switching to a hybrid as a step in the direction towards a proper EV, thinking that they'll save a lot on fuel and be doing their bit to reduce CO2 emissions," he said. "But its important they are made aware of the fact that, according to the data, not only do PHEVs produce 350 per cent more CO2 than their manufacturers claim, they won't deliver fuel savings anywhere near as impressive as they are being led to believe."
The analysis is based on recent data from the European Commission which found PHEVs typically burn 3.5 times more fuel and release 3.5 times more CO2 than their manufacturers claim. VM, Audi and Skoda from the VW group and PSA and Opel of Stellantis were found to perform the worst on stated fuel efficiency versus real world data.
However, advocates for PHEVs have countered fuel efficiency claims are accurate based on standardised testing. They have also argued the technology can deliver significant fuel and emissions savings compared compared to ICE vehicles, which can be maximised depending on the nature of journeys undertaken and the way the vehicle is driven.
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