Hybrids are far less polluting than petrol-powered vehicles

Myth:

Hybrid vehicles are much better than internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, as far as emissions are concerned. They are the way forward, not EVs. 

Fact:

Hybrids are significantly better than ICE vehicles, when it comes to emissions. They emit about two thirds as much carbon over their lifetimes as their petrol-driven counterparts. (Plug-in hybrids emit slightly less than this.) EVs, by contrast, emit only a third as much CO₂ as ICE vehicles, and only a quarter as much if powered by renewables. If they are also produced using renewables, then their carbon impact is just 4 percent that of legacy vehicles. 

A pair of Toyota Prius hybrids. [Source: Wikimedia Commons]

Sources:

“Electric, hybrid and petrol car emissions: which is worse?” NRMA, 10/1/23. https://www.mynrma.com.au/open-road/news/archived/electric-vs-hybrid-vs-petrol-car-emissions

“Life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions from passenger cars in the European Union: A 2025 update and key factors to consider,” The International Council on Clean Transportation, 8/7/25. https://theicct.org/publication/electric-cars-life-cycle-analysis-emissions-europe-jul25/