usatoday24
How much does a plug -in hybrid consume? It is almost impossible to be clear. It is a technology that depends so much on the use that is given to make any type of estimate involves falling into an error.
So far we have seen plug -in hybrids that approve consumption between one and two liters per 100 kilometers. How realistic is this? It depends, as we said, How we use the car. If you are one of those who get the most out of this data on the car computer.
The problem is that, according to the data they handle in the European Union, few drivers do this Ideal use of a hybrid car. This causes the estimated real consumption of these cars to be much higher than reflected in the technical chips.
To solve it, the European Union completely changes the homologation cycle, which raises the consumption and has a direct impact on the broadcast portfolio that each company will have to present in 2027.
The headache of plug -in hybrids
As we said, the European Union is not believed by the homologations that have been made so far with plug -in hybrids. Not because they considered that they did not reflect a realistic figure, rather the problem is that they did not reflect the real use that has been extended.
If you are a user who makes Between 50 and 100 kilometers a day For an urban environment and/or its vicinity, a plug -in hybrid can be a perfect car if you have to load it every night. With a consumption of 20 kWh/100 kilometers in electric mode, we can expect a cost of two euros or less daily. Prioritizing battery use most of the time, gasoline spending should be ridiculous.
However, the European Commission believes that these types of cars are not always used in the most efficient way. In a report published in 2024 They collected that the realistic mean of consumption of a plug -in hybrid in Europe is 5.94 l/100 km of fuel (5.97 l/100 km between the plug -in hybrids of gasoline, the most common) for the type of driving that is made.
And they highlighted another very important point. CO2 emissions are 139.4 gr/km of CO2, instead of 39.6 gr/km of CO2 approved on average.
Therefore, as of this year other cycles are beginning to make during the homologation of new cars. Until nowa plug -in hybrid was subjected to constant cycles in which the speed was increasing to exhaust its battery. After its electric warehouse, one last cycle was made only with the Combustion engine. It was a way to simulate the most efficient conditions of use of a PHEV: throw to the extent of the possible electric motor until the battery is exhausted.
But since January 1, 2025 it is applied EURO 6E BIS. This new way of measuring plug -in hybrids is mandatory for all homologated cars until December 31, 2026. From there, all cars sold by manufacturers as new will have to undergo this new test.
With this new protocol, the conditions are harder. The test will be extended up to 2,200 kilometers and the test will run over time with the empty battery. Temperature conditions will be more extreme. And when EURO 6E BIS-FCM enters into force, cars will face worse circumstances with tests that will extend up to 4,260 kilometers.
What happens is that in many countries Aids have been delivered to purchase of a plug -in hybrid, thinking that their owners would make a more efficient use of them. However, In Switzerland they already took their aid In 2022 because they considered that with the use that they were giving them contaminated as much as a diesel and They were taking advantage of advantages of cleaner vehicles.
All this has direct consequences for the coming years on emissions. The maximum allowed limit for each brand is 93.6 gr/km of CO2 on average in 2027. For the calculation the Weight of the emissions registered in 2025, 2026 and 2027. The brand that exceeds will have to pay 95 euros for each gram overcome and car sold. That is, if you have sold one million cars and record 94.6 gr/km of CO2 on average, the fine will be 95 million euros.
Having until the end of 2026 with plug -in hybrids that barely approve just over 30 gr/km of CO2 is an advantage for manufacturers that can prioritize their sales if their electric cars are not working quite well. Keep in mind that these data allow up to three plug -in hybrid cars by a gasoline without exceeding the maximum allowed barrier.
The problem will come with the new models that are coming to the market and, above all, from 2027 that manufacturers must withdraw these markets from the market or assume that the same vehicle will now reflect a volume of emissions that can be between three and four times higher.
That is, they will be able to use the “trick” of the plug -in hybrid but will not add so favorably as until now.
Photo | Byd
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