Recent Study: Hybrid squirrels pollute the environment almost as much as gasoline cars

The data showed that hybrid vehicles release only 19 percent less carbon dioxide than fuel and oil vehicles, while according to laboratory tests, these vehicles pollute the environment 75 percent less than standards, according to research by nonprofit group “Transport and Environment”, reports Guardian.

European car producers have promoted hybrid vehicles (PHEV), which use electric batteries besides the engine, as a vehicle that reduces emissions of harmful gases.

Real data shows that these vehicles are increasingly emitting harmful gases, while according to laboratory tests, this emissions are reducing”, said scientist Sofia Navas Gole, one of the authors of the study.

Researchers analyzed the data of 800,000 vehicles between 2021 and 2023.

Analyst: Producers Not Realistic

The study authors attribute the difference between their results and laboratory tests to the fact that hybrid vehicles travel only 27 per cent while using electricity, while official estimates say this percentage is 84 per cent.

The analysis states that the two corrective measures announced by the European Commission will reduce this change, but will not fully exceed it. The study found that even when using electric modes, hybrid vehicles release higher levels of harmful emissions than official estimates.

The reason for this is that their electric engines are not strong enough to operate independently, so they burn fossil fuels during a third of the distance they travel with electricity.

The bold claims made by car producers about their hybrid vehicles are not realistic”, analyst Colin Walker said.