Once 'green' plug-in hybrid cars suddenly look like dinosaurs in Europe

A BMW X5 plug-in hybrid is pictured while undergoing tests by Emissions Analytics for a study on emissions by NGO Transport & Environment in unknown location in this picture obtained by Reuters on March 31, 2021. Emissions Analytics/Handout via REUTERS

LONDON/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Remember when plug-in hybrid cars were the go-to technology for the climate-conscious driver? Turns out, they're not good for the environment, according to some experts, and they could be phased out by carmakers in the face of tougher European rules.

EU policy plans for plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs), which contain an electric battery and a combustion engine, could mean the "transition" technology has a shorter lifespan than envisaged by some leading automakers.