🔗 Share this article

PHEVs emit almost five times greater global warming pollution than lab-reported figures show, as per a recent analysis.

Widening Gap In Lab and Actual Emissions

Data reveals that PHEVs emit only 19% less CO₂ than traditional gas and diesel cars, based on analysis conducted by a non-profit group. That contrasts sharply with laboratory tests, which suggested a 75% reduction in emissions.

Researchers studied data from in-vehicle energy use monitors of eight hundred thousand cars registered in Europe between 2021 and 2023. They found that real-world CO₂ emissions from PHEVs in 2023 were 4.9 times greater than official estimates, up from 3.5 times in 2021.

“Actual emissions are increasing, while official figures are decreasing,” stated a senior analyst involved in the report. “This discrepancy is widening and poses a serious problem. As a result, PHEVs emit almost as heavily as gasoline vehicles.”

Primary Factors Driving the Discrepancy

Researchers attributed the majority of the gap to inflated estimates of the “electric driving share” – the ratio of miles driven in battery power compared to total mileage. They determined that only a quarter of driving was done in EV mode, while lab estimates suggested over four-fifths.

Additionally, when operating in electric mode, emission levels were significantly higher than official estimates. That happened because electric motors were not strong sufficient to function alone, resulting to combustion motors burning fossil fuels for almost a third of the distance completed in electric mode.

Policy and Financial Consequences

According to calculations, the lowballing of PHEV CO2 output enabled four major carmaker groups to escape over €5bn in fines from 2021 and 2023, by falsely easing compliance with EU fleet-average CO₂ targets.

Furthermore, owners of PHEVs would pay about €500 extra annually in running costs than would be estimated under lab conditions.

“The bold statements that manufacturers often promote about their plug-in hybrid vehicles are obviously far from the mark,” stated a automotive analyst. “Buyers are being duped into thinking that by buying a PHEV, they are helping the environment and cutting money. In reality, PHEVs are little better than regular petrol and diesel vehicles in terms of fuel consumption, CO₂ production, and running costs.”

Political Discussion and Automotive Pressure

Hybrid cars have recently been brought back into political debates as carmakers have lobbied the European Union to weaken CO₂ targets. A planned ban on sales of new combustion engine cars in 2035 has faced intense pressure from the automotive sector and opposition from member states with significant automotive industries.

Some high-level officials have suggested plug-in hybrids as a potential “flexibility” option to include in the legislation.

An independent energy economics expert, who was not involved with the study, called the report a “highly valuable addition” after years in which segments of the automotive sector claimed there was insufficient information to accurately assess real-world emissions.

“The results show, beyond any doubt, that the gap in official and real-world PHEV fuel consumption and CO₂ output is significantly greater than for gasoline or conventional vehicles,” they said. “All policy changes concerning PHEVs should be made with utmost caution and in the light of that evidence.”