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PHEVs produce almost 5x greater planet-heating pollution than official figures indicate, as per a recent report.

Growing Gap In Official and Real-World Emissions

Statistics reveals that PHEVs emit just one-fifth lower CO₂ than conventional gas and diesel vehicles, based on analysis carried out by a advocacy organization. This contrasts significantly with laboratory tests, which suggested a 75% decrease in emissions.

Analysts examined information from onboard energy use meters of 800,000 vehicles sold in the EU from 2021 and 2023. They found that real-world CO₂ emissions from PHEVs in 2023 were 4.9 times greater than lab figures, up from three and a half times in 2021.

“Real-world CO2 output are rising, while lab-reported figures are falling,” said a lead analyst participating in the report. “That gap is widening and creates a serious issue. Consequently, PHEVs emit almost as much as petrol cars.”

Key Factors Behind the Discrepancy

Researchers linked the majority of the gap to overestimates of the “utility factor” – the percentage of miles travelled in electric power relative to total distance. They found that just a quarter of driving was done in electric mode, while official estimates assumed over four-fifths.

Additionally, when operating in EV mode, emission levels were well above lab estimates. That occurred because EV motors were insufficiently powerful enough to operate independently, resulting to combustion motors using fossil fuels for almost one-third of the travel covered in EV mode.

Regulatory and Economic Implications

Based on estimates, the underestimation of PHEV CO2 output enabled several major carmaker groups to avoid over €5bn in fines from 2021 and 2023, by artificially easing compliance with European Union fleet-average CO₂ standards.

Additionally, drivers of PHEVs would pay about €500 more annually in operating expenses than is assumed under lab tests.

“The strong statements that manufacturers like to make about their plug-in hybrid vehicles are obviously way off the truth,” stated a transport expert. “Consumers are being duped into thinking that by purchasing a PHEV, they are benefiting the environment and saving costs. Actually, PHEVs are little improved than standard gas and diesel vehicles in terms of energy consumption, CO₂ emissions, and operating expenses.”

Policy Debate and Industry Pressure

Hybrid cars have lately been brought back into political discussions as automakers have lobbied the EU to relax CO₂ targets. A planned ban on new combustion engine cars in 2035 has faced intense pressure from the automotive sector and opposition from member states with large car manufacturing.

Some high-level officials have suggested plug-in hybrids as a possible “flexibility” solution to include in the regulation.

One independent energy economics expert, who was not involved with the research, described the analysis a “very useful contribution” after a long period in which segments of the automotive sector claimed there was insufficient data to properly evaluate real-world CO2 output.

“The results demonstrate, beyond any doubt, that the difference in lab and real-world PHEV fuel consumption and CO₂ output is significantly larger than for gasoline or conventional vehicles,” they stated. “All regulatory adjustments regarding PHEVs should be implemented with extreme care and in the light of this data.”