Fraunhofer Analysis Finds Many European PHEVs Burn Far More Fuel Than Type-Approval Suggests
Key findings and regulatory stakes from the Fraunhofer PHEV analysis
A new joint study by Fraunhofer ISI and the Öko Institute examined real-world behavior in plug-in hybrid electric vehicles across Europe and surfaced a large gap between lab-approved consumption and on-road fuel use. The researchers analysed on-board monitoring streams from roughly 1,000,000 PHEVs and found average measured consumption clustering near 6 L/100 km, a multiple of the values used in type-approval calculations.
Performance varied widely by make and model: several mainstream, lower-cost PHEVs recorded measured consumption under 1 L/100 km, while high-performance variants — notably a Porsche model in the sample — registered around 7 L/100 km. The authors stress that the conventional regulatory metric, the utility factor, and how it is applied materially shapes reported fleet emissions and compliance outcomes for manufacturers.
Industry trade groups have defended existing measurement procedures as consistent with EU rules, while Fraunhofer advocates deploying real-world OBFCM datasets to align approval numbers with operational patterns. The report connects vehicle design choices, driver behavior and company-car deployment practices to the gap, arguing that market incentives and reimbursement structures often discourage regular charging. Policymakers now face a choice: tighten testing and accounting, or preserve the status quo that currently cushions manufacturer compliance numbers.
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