🔗 Share this article

PHEVs emit nearly five times greater global warming pollution than official figures show, as per a new report.

Growing Gap In Lab and Real-World Emissions

Statistics shows that PHEVs release only one-fifth lower CO₂ than traditional petrol and diesel cars, based on research carried out by a non-profit group. That contrasts significantly with lab tests, which suggested a 75% reduction in pollution.

Analysts examined data from in-vehicle fuel consumption monitors of eight hundred thousand vehicles sold in the EU from 2021 and 2023. They discovered that actual CO₂ output from PHEVs in 2023 were 4.9 times higher than official figures, increased from 3.5 times in 2021.

“Actual emissions are rising, while official figures are decreasing,” said a senior analyst involved in the report. “This gap is widening and creates a serious problem. Consequently, PHEVs emit nearly as heavily as gasoline vehicles.”

Primary Reasons Behind the Emissions Gap

Researchers attributed the majority of the difference to inflated estimates of the “utility factor” – the ratio of miles driven in battery mode compared to total mileage. They found that only a quarter of travel was done in EV mode, while official assumptions suggested over four-fifths.

Additionally, when operating in electric mode, emission amounts were well above official estimates. This occurred because electric motors were not strong sufficient to operate independently, leading to engines using gasoline for almost a third of the distance covered in electric mode.

Policy and Economic Implications

According to estimates, the lowballing of PHEV CO2 output allowed four large automaker groups to avoid more than €5bn in fines between 2021 and 2023, by falsely easing adherence with European Union fleet-average CO₂ standards.

Furthermore, drivers of PHEVs could spend approximately €500 extra per year in running expenses than would be estimated under laboratory tests.

“The strong claims that automakers like to make about their plug-in hybrid cars are obviously way off the truth,” stated a transport analyst. “Buyers are being duped into thinking that by purchasing a PHEV, they are helping the environment and cutting money. In reality, PHEVs are little improved than standard gas and diesel cars in terms of energy consumption, CO₂ production, and running costs.”

Political Debate and Automotive Pressure

Hybrid cars have recently been drawn back into political discussions as automakers have pressed the EU to weaken CO₂ targets. A planned prohibition on new combustion engine vehicles in 2035 has faced heavy pressure from the automotive industry and opposition from EU countries with large automotive industries.

Several high-level politicians have suggested plug-in hybrids as a possible “compromise” option to include in the legislation.

An independent energy policy specialist, who was not involved with the study, called the analysis a “highly valuable addition” after years in which segments of the car industry claimed there was insufficient information to accurately evaluate actual emissions.

“These findings demonstrate, beyond any doubt, that the gap in official and actual PHEV energy use and CO₂ emissions is much, much larger than for gasoline or conventional cars,” they stated. “All regulatory changes concerning PHEVs should be implemented with utmost caution and in the light of that data.”