Plug-in hybrid vs hybrid vs petrol: real-world fuel use compared
Official figures say a plug-in hybrid uses a fraction of the fuel of a petrol car. The EEA's fuel meter data lets us compare what each type of car actually burns on the road.
The numbers
| Powertrain | Cars | Real L/100 km | Official L/100 km |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol car | 2,844,808 | 7.03 | 6.1 |
| Diesel car | 1,983,401 | 6.74 | 5.7 |
| Petrol hybrid (incl. mild) | 2,045,255 | 6.74 | 5.5 |
| Diesel hybrid (incl. mild) | 795,338 | 7.28 | 6.1 |
| Petrol plug-in hybrid | 1,153,995 | 6.22 | 1.4 |
| Diesel plug-in hybrid | 131,177 | 6.05 | 1.1 |
What it means
On average a petrol plug-in hybrid saves about 0.8 L/100 km of fuel compared with a petrol car — far less than the official figures suggest. It also needs electricity from the grid, typically around 23 kWh per 100 km driven on battery.
The average hides a wide spread. A plug-in hybrid that is charged daily and used for short trips can use very little fuel. One that is rarely charged carries a heavy battery around: when not driving on battery alone, the median model uses about 8.6 L/100 km — more than a typical petrol car.
Check any model on its model page, or estimate your own cost.