Hybrids ‘fall short of claims’
Plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) use an average of 73 per cent more fuel during “real-life” driving than the manufacturers’ claims, according to testing by Consumer NZ.
The watchdog says standard hybrids averaged 20 per cent more fuel use after its trial of 10 vehicles revealed both engine types run up “larger-than-expected fuel bills”.
Consumer NZ was commissioned by the Ministry of Transport to conduct the trial and assess the fuel use of five marques’ PHEVs and hybrids.
The hybrid models involved were Toyota’s Yaris ZR, RAV4 and Highlander, a Kia Niro and a Hyundai Ioniq, while the PHEVs put to the test were a RAV4, Niro and Ioniq, along with a Ford Escape ST-Line X and MG HS Plus.
Each vehicle covered 270km in the space of a week and was driven on the same routes around Wellington, including a rush-hour commute, a supermarket trip, and journey over the Remutaka Hill.
James le Page, Consumer NZ test content team leader, says fuel usage was recorded at the petrol pump, by calculating how much fuel was used on the trips, and on each car’s computer.
“Our trial didn’t use any specialist or calibrated equipment. Instead, we opted for a repeatable, real-world approach, where each vehicle received the same treatment and test,” he adds.
Le Page notes manufacturers’ fuel efficiency figures come from laboratory tests conducted under controlled settings. “However, when you drive a vehicle on ‘real roads’ the efficiency is likely to be lower. The fuel usage was much higher than manufacturers claimed.”
He says the difference in fuel efficiency was also evident in each car’s computer, which showed PHEVs used on average 45 per cent more fuel and hybrids 10 per cent more than manufacturers’ claims.
Consumer NZ states its findings echo those of Transport & Environment, a European clean transport campaign group that after a survey in 2020 found emissions and fuel use were, on average, over two-and-a-half times those of official test values.
To read the full Consumer NZ report, click here.
