This should delight the climate-denying, anti-EV brigade. Although will they believe a left-wing source?

Plug-in hybrids pollute almost as much as petrol cars, report finds
Analysis of 800,000 European cars found real-world pollution from plug-in hybrids nearly five times greater than lab tests.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/oct/16/plug-in-hybrids-pollute-almost-as-much-as-petrol-cars-report-finds

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FreddieUK · 70-79, M

A very interesting article and I suppose, as you hint, it does put certain people in a very difficult position: either to believe a paper they don't trust which confirms their suspicions or to actually accept it because it confirms their view and perhaps cause them not to dismiss the next thing that that newspaper prints because it challenges other ideas they hold..

For me, I'm disappointed that it's come to that conclusion, but since I don't have any other evidence I accept it. For a fact I know that my hybrid (not plug-in) save me a lot of money on petrol (gas) so I must be burning less.

wildland

@FreddieUK For what little it's worth, at least they do pollute less than petrol/diesel. And yeah, hehe I suspect though that no climate deniers will respond to this post :P

jackjjackson · M

Now what gentlemen? Not to be cynical but is it possible car makers run the testing labs and sure sold a lot of cars after the initial test results? Better petrol efficiency does create less emissions. @FreddieUK @wildland

wishforthenight · M

@jackjjackson Europe faced a similar scandal over diesel cars where the laboratory data was essentially doctored. However, the article shows that despite everything, hybrids and plug-in hybrids still are still about 20% less polluting than petrol and diesel cars.

jackjjackson · M

The initial report sold a lot of cars. @wishforthenight

wildland

@jackjjackson Well the truth is out now. From a left-wing source. Although they're still less polluting than petrol cars

jackjjackson · M

AND much less expensive to operate. @wildland

wildland

@jackjjackson Yup, luckily petrol cars are on their way out :)

jackjjackson · M

Pure EV will never be on the way IN. @wildland

wildland

@jackjjackson it’s already IN - in pretty much every country except the US, which has also missed the boat regarding solar. This is why the EU and china own you

jackjjackson · M

@wildland

swirlie · 31-35

@jackjjackson

Pure EV will never be on the way IN.

Pure EV is in Sweden for cars and light trucks and I got a tour of a mini solar generating station used for public EV charging when I was last there visiting relatives. Sweden did it right when it came to the inception of EV's into the marketplace, whereas North America including Canada, did it backwards which is why EV has pretty much tanked in both the US and Canada.

In Sweden, the recharging infrastructure was constructed first across the country, the EV's were introduced to the marketplace.

In the US and Canada, EV's were introduced to the marketplace BEFORE the recharging infrastructure was put in place, which is why the marketing of EV's has essentially failed in North America.

wildland

@jackjjackson Not my fault you don't like the truth. Facts don't care about your feelings.

jackjjackson · M

The problem is battery range. In tiny England you don’t even need batteries you operate Flintstone mobiles

@wildland

wildland

@jackjjackson my guess is you’ve never been to England, and one charge will get you 500+ miles nowadays