Hybrid cars' environmental impact questioned.

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【Summary】Major car brands are accused of misleading consumers with their marketing claims about hybrid electric vehicles, according to research by the Environmental Defenders Office. The study found that terms such as "the best of both worlds" and "self-charging cars" were potentially misleading, as hybrid vehicles rely on petrol and produce higher emissions than electric cars.

FutureCar Staff Sep 24, 2023 11:25 PM PT

Hybrid cars' environmental impact questioned.

Research has found that major car brands may be making misleading claims about hybrid electric vehicles, challenging the perception that they are environmentally friendly. The study, called "Driving Change or Just Filling Up the Tank," released by the Environmental Defenders Office (EDO), raises concerns about questionable marketing tactics used by car manufacturers. These tactics include referring to plug-in hybrid vehicles as "the best of both worlds" and calling hybrids "self-charging cars," despite both types of vehicles relying on petrol.

The EDO report also questions the net-zero pledges made by major car brands, as many have yet to commit to ending the production of petrol cars by 2035. This raises doubts about the sustainability of their claims. The study comes after the EDO raised concerns about Toyota's marketing tactics with Australia's consumer watchdog and amidst a record-high sales of electric and hybrid vehicles in the country.

The EDO analyzed the claims made by major car manufacturers to determine if they were overstating the positive impacts of their products or seeking to mislead buyers. The report warns that such "greenwashing" claims can be particularly harmful in the automotive industry, as the transport sector is responsible for 23% of global carbon emissions. Misleading information could delay consumers' decision-making and prevent them from making well-informed choices about sustainable transportation options.

The study found that plug-in hybrid vehicles were often marketed as having "all the benefits of an electric vehicle" without the charging challenges, even though research shows that they rely on petrol engines almost twice as often as expected. Additionally, marketing claims that hybrid vehicles are "self-charging" give the impression that they do not require an external power source, despite relying on petrol and producing higher lifetime emissions than electric cars.

The report highlights brands such as Lexus, Nissan, Toyota, MG, and Volvo, which refer to hybrid vehicles as "electric" without mentioning their use of petrol. Slogans such as "electric for everyone" and "live it electric with hybrid" further contribute to blurring the lines between vehicle technologies, making it difficult for consumers to make environmentally conscious choices.

The EDO plans to provide this material to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to aid in their education and enforcement activities. The ACCC previously revealed that 11 out of 29 vehicle brands surveyed for signs of "greenwashing" had made claims that raised concerns. The commission has since published draft guidance for companies making claims about cars, emphasizing that promises should accurately represent emissions produced throughout a vehicle's entire life-cycle.