Three-quarters of the 20 top-selling plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) in the UK cannot use rapid chargers, according to research by the industry body ChargeUK. The analysis found that only 26% of the vehicles sold across the top 20 models, including the Jaecoo 7, Ford Kuga, Hyundai Tucson, BYD Seal, MG HS, and BMW 3 Series, are capable of using rapid chargers with powers of 50kW or more. These chargers can quickly add significant range in 20 to 30 minutes, while PHEVs without this capability are limited to slower charging speeds, potentially requiring several hours for a mid-trip recharge. Drivers may instead rely on their petrol engines. Shane Brennan, chief executive of ChargeUK, stated that PHEVs not used for electric charging are essentially "costly petrol cars pulling round a heavy battery." He warned that drivers unable to charge on the public network quickly become reliant on petrol, and said the government should not be misled into believing promoting PHEV sales is a meaningful step toward electrification. He described the idea of a "PHEV compromise" as a "spectacular own goal." According to official data, PHEVs were the fastest-growing type of car sold in the UK last year, with 227,000 registered—up almost 35% on 2024. A further 180,000 have been sold so far this year. However, repeated studies have found that PHEVs emit significantly more planet-heating pollution than official figures suggest. Despite this, the government last year allowed manufacturers to sell more of them toward their EV targets. In a recent consultation on the zero emission vehicle mandate, the government noted that PHEVs are driven on electric power far less than official figures suggest. The report said the method used to calculate emissions savings "significantly overestimates electric driving," as many drivers charge infrequently, resulting in higher real-world CO2 emissions than official figures. It is expected that the government will weaken targets for pure EV sales further when a consultation on changing the mandate closes in October, following lobbying from the car industry. Last week, Nissan suggested it could withhold a £170m investment in its factory in Sunderland if the UK does not weaken the rules. None of the top 20 PHEV models can use ultra-rapid chargers, which are defined as 150kW and above. Rapid and ultra-rapid chargers, defined as 50kW and above, make up about a quarter of the UK’s public charging points but deliver the majority of the network’s total charging capacity due to their speed. In contrast, every one of the top 20 models of pure electric vehicles sold last year could use rapid chargers, and 64% could use ultra-rapid ones. Carmakers have recently raised discounts on combustion engine cars, including hybrids, while reducing discounts on electric vehicles as they neared their annual EV sales targets. Autotrader reported that average discounts for petrol cars listed on its platform jumped sharply to 11.9% in September from 11.3% in August. Meanwhile, EV discounts fell to 10.7% from 11.1%, with companies such as Mercedes-Benz and MG scaling back incentives as they approach their required zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate levels for the year. A government spokesperson stated that the government is taking a practical approach by allowing drivers to choose plug-in hybrids, adding that the vehicles’ real-world carbon emissions are still 40% lower than the average petrol or diesel car.