New research into the emissions of plug-in hybrids mean the Government might need to reconsider their EV targets, a motoring expert has urged. 

A report by the Transport and Environment Agency has concluded that Plug-in hybrids use almost five times as much planet-heating pollution to operate than was previously thought. 

It means the cars are only 19% less polluting than traditional petrol and diesel models. 

On The Pat Kenny Show, motoring expert Ger Herbert explained why the research had changed previous assumptions. 

 “The problem is, according to the Transport and Environment Agency, that  number one, the official tests are under ideal conditions,” she explained. 

“Warm temperatures, they assume people get the maximum amount out of them. 

“But they’re also saying the electric motors are not powerful enough to do zero emission driving. 

“So, the petrol engine is kicking in far more often than people are actually aware. 

“So, even if you buy them with the best of intentions and you use them correctly, you’re still going to be consuming fuel when you do not know that you are.” 

Traffic in Dublin. Picture by: Alamy.com.

Ms Herbert added that many people view a hybrid as a “stepping stone” before going fully electric. 

However, she said the research means the Government might want to consider including them in its electric vehicle targets going forward. 

“There’s questions certainly being raised as to whether or not they should be included in our EV targets,” she said. 

“It’s hard to see how the Government can come out and say, ‘Oh, we’ve 195,000 electric vehicles on our roads - our emission target has been met’ if a substantial proportion of those are plug-in hybrids.” 

Earlier this month, the Department of Transport said it was “committed to ensuring that 30% of the national vehicle fleet is electric by 2030, a target that will require not just maintaining, but accelerating the momentum of recent years.”

Main image: An EV charging point. Picture by: Geoff Smith / Alamy