German Study Makes Case for Killing Plug-in Hybrids

24 Feb 2026 | Abstracted from Tech Crunch

New study by Germany's Fraunhofer Institute argues PHEVs fail to cut emissions because most drivers rarely plug them in. Real‑world data from 1 million German PHEVs shows fewer than one‑third charge regularly, with some brands barely using electricity at all. As a result, PHEVs emit far more than advertised, burden drivers with complexity, and undermine the idea that they serve as a bridge to full EVs.

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