Eco campaigners turn on GREEN cars calling the electrified vehicles ‘one of the biggest cons in history’

Environmental campaigners have warned drivers against buying a particular type of ‘green’ car due to concerns it produces more emissions than drivers are led to believe.

Brussels-based think tank Transport & Environment said these electric cars are not only more polluting than manufacturers claim, but are also much more expensive than a full-fledged EV.

Calling them a “smokescreen”, the group said plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) were a “growing emissions scandal” and “the biggest fraud in automotive history”; It’s a bold statement, given the recent impropriety of car finance and the “dieselgate” case, in which the High Court this week saw 1.6 million British drivers take legal action against carmakers over accusations of cheating on diesel emissions tests.

The report comes after plug-in hybrid registrations rose 56 percent year-on-year in September.

PHEVs are considered the ideal stepping stone between the traditional combustion engine automobile and EVs.

This is because they have a gasoline engine supported by electric motors powered by a small onboard battery. They are most efficient when fully charged using a public device or a home wall box.

They also offer the benefit of lower in-kind tax due to their lower ‘official’ CO2 emissions, making them incredibly attractive to company car drivers.

But T&E says real-world measurements show it emits five times more carbon dioxide than claimed.

The study, based on ‘new evidence’ collected from 127,000 vehicles, also claims PHEVs cost the average driver £650 more per year to drive than drivers think based on official fuel economy figures, making them ‘less costly than a fully electric car’.

Tim Dexter, T&E UK’s vehicle policy manager, said: ‘Plug-in hybrids look green on paper, but the reality is they are far more polluting and cost hundreds of pounds extra to run each year.

‘It is unacceptable that outdated official tests continue to mislead consumers; ‘motorists deserve to know what they are actually buying.’

Around 172,639 new PHEVs hit British roads this year.

While that’s more than diesel sales (83,656), it’s still 50,000 fewer than traditional “self-charging” hybrids, which don’t need to be plugged in but have smaller batteries and therefore shorter range on electricity alone.

Fully electric vehicles are also outpacing PHEVs by nearly two to one, with 349,414 registrations between January and September 2025.

Petrol cars are four times more popular than plug-in hybrids this year.

But T&E was angered by a 56 per cent increase in sales last month, with 38,308 PHEVs purchased in September.

combustion engine cars and EVs. This is because they have a gasoline engine supported by electric motors powered by a small onboard battery. Pictured: The inner workings of the Range Rover PHEV powertrain

The report suggests that PHEVs emit only 19 percent less CO2 per kilometer on average than petrol and diesel vehicles; The think tank says this is a ‘stark contrast’ to industry claims.

When tested on the road, the study found emissions were almost five times higher than official figures.

T&E admits this is partly because owners rarely charge it and instead rely on the petrol engine for the majority of the journey.

And the gap between industry claims and real-world emissions is said to be getting worse.

When the think tank conducted the study in 2021, it found that PHEVs produced 3.5 times the CO2 emissions usually claimed.

‘Poor design, low charging rates and frequent reliance on the internal combustion engine mean drivers receive little financial benefit,’ the report said.

‘On average, UK drivers spend £800 more per year on fuel and fares than advertised, as hidden fuel use increases costs.’

T&E also said drivers were being overcharged for PHEVs due to false promises of green credentials.

The average PHEV in the UK, France and Germany in 2025 is estimated to cost £48,500, a full £13,000 more than a battery electric vehicle.

Volvo launched its latest PHEV model, the XC70 (pictured), in August. First offered for sale in China, this vehicle offers a huge range of 194 kilometers, which is on par with the range of some EVs on sale today, such as the Mazda MX-30.

T&E says choosing a mid-range PHEV like the VW Tiguan (left) over a similar EV like the Kia EV3 (right) will leave drivers £1,500 worse off each year

Simply put, choosing a mid-range PHEV like the VW Tiguan over a BEV like the Kia EV3 leaves drivers around £1,500 worse off each year.

“Despite higher purchase prices and operating costs, automakers still tout PHEVs as a logical choice,” the study concluded.

Dexter added: ‘Plug-in hybrids are one of the biggest drawbacks in automotive history, costing drivers much more than they realize.

‘The real smart and affordable choice is to go completely electric.’

Colin Walker, head of transport at the UK Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) think tank, said the Government’s recent decision to allow new PHEVs (and conventional hybrid cars) to remain in showrooms until 2035 (five years after conventional petrol and diesel models were outlawed) has environmental consequences ‘reminiscent of the infamous Dieselgate scandal’ She said she could give birth.

His comments come a decade after Volkswagen’s emissions-cheating ‘defeat devices’ were exposed – and the same week a landmark trial began in London’s High Court in which 1.6 million drivers took legal action against major carmakers accused of evading CO2 tests.

The claim is the largest of its kind in British history, with the High Court previously saying the claim was believed to be worth at least £6 billion.

Tim Dexter, T&E UK’s vehicle policy manager, described plug-in hybrids such as the Alfa Romeo Tonale PHEV pictured as “one of the biggest cons in automotive history, costing drivers much more than they thought”.

Walker continued: ‘The bold claims that manufacturers like to make about their plug-in hybrids are clearly wide of the mark.

‘Consumers are being misled into believing they are helping the environment and saving money by purchasing a PHEV.

‘In reality, PHEVs are slightly better than regular petrol and diesel cars in terms of the fuel they consume, the CO2 they produce and the cost of running.’

He added: ‘Instead of distracting people with this outdated and expensive technology, the government and car manufacturers can focus on helping ordinary families make the switch to electric vehicles; As well as delivering a real reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, these electric vehicles have the capacity to save owners hundreds or even thousands of pounds a year in running costs.’

The Daily Mail contacted the Motor Manufacturers and Traders Association for comment on the accusations against the PHEV market.