Hannah Oldenburg

New study by Fraunhofer ISI, Öko-Institut and ifeu

Fuel consumption and CO2 emissions of plug-in hybrid vehicles in real-world driving conditions

News 02/19/2026

A new study by Fraunhofer ISI, Oeko-Institut and ifeu shows that plug-in hybrid vehicles consume significantly more fuel and cause higher CO₂ emissions in real-world operation than officially stated. Evaluations of around one million vehicles reveal a considerable gap between standard and real-world values, which undermines the effectiveness of EU fleet regulations. The focus is on the so-called utility factor, which determines the proportion of electric driving mathematically. The study warns against weakening the planned adjustments and highlights possible climate policy consequences.

Garching's research reactor as nuclear cultural heritage

Blog 02/19/2026

Our approach to dealing with radioactive waste and remembering its dangers is reflected in our nuclear cultural heritage. Germany already has nuclear cultural heritage from which lessons can be learned in the search for a final repository. In this blog series, Dr. Melanie Mbah describes this heritage, the analysed case studies in Germany, and the lessons learned in the search for a final repository.