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Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles produce almost 5x more global warming emissions than official data show, as per a recent report.

Widening Discrepancy In Official and Real-World Emissions

Data reveals that PHEVs emit only one-fifth lower CO₂ than conventional gas and diesel cars, based on analysis conducted by a advocacy group. This contrasts sharply with laboratory estimates, which suggested a three-quarters reduction in pollution.

Analysts studied information from in-vehicle energy use meters of eight hundred thousand cars sold in the EU between 2021 and 2023. They discovered that real-world CO₂ emissions from PHEVs in 2023 were 4.9 times greater than official figures, up from 3.5 times in 2021.

“Actual CO2 output are increasing, while lab-reported figures are falling,” stated a senior analyst participating in the report. “This gap is widening and creates a serious problem. As a result, PHEVs pollute almost as heavily as petrol cars.”

Key Factors Behind the Discrepancy

Researchers linked the majority of the gap to overestimates of the “utility factor” – the ratio of miles driven in battery power compared to total distance. The team determined that only a quarter of driving was completed in electric mode, whereas official estimates suggested over four-fifths.

Even, when running in electric mode, pollution amounts were significantly higher than official estimates. This occurred because electric motors were insufficiently powerful enough to operate independently, leading to combustion motors using fossil fuels for nearly a third of the distance completed in EV mode.

Policy and Financial Implications

Based on calculations, the lowballing of PHEV CO2 output enabled four major carmaker groups to escape more than €5bn in fines from 2021 and 2023, by artificially simplifying compliance with EU fleet-average CO₂ standards.

Additionally, drivers of PHEVs could pay about €500 extra annually in running expenses than is estimated under lab conditions.

“The strong statements that automakers often promote about their PHEV cars are clearly way off the mark,” stated a transport expert. “Consumers are being misled into believing that by purchasing a PHEV, they are helping the environment and cutting costs. In reality, PHEVs are only slightly better than standard petrol and diesel cars in terms of energy consumption, CO₂ emissions, and operating costs.”

Political Discussion and Industry Lobbying

Hybrid cars have lately been brought again into political discussions as automakers have pressed the EU to relax CO₂ standards. A proposed ban on sales of new internal combustion vehicles in 2035 has faced heavy lobbying from the automotive sector and resistance from EU countries with significant car industries.

Several high-level politicians have proposed PHEVs as a potential “compromise” option to introduce in the regulation.

An independent energy policy expert, who was not involved with the research, described the analysis a “highly valuable contribution” after years in which segments of the car sector claimed there was insufficient information to properly assess real-world emissions.

“These findings show, without question, that the difference between lab and actual PHEV energy use and CO₂ emissions is much, much larger than for gasoline or diesel vehicles,” the expert stated. “All policy changes regarding PHEVs should be implemented with utmost caution and in the light of that evidence.”