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PHEVs release almost five times more global warming emissions than lab-reported data show, as per a new analysis.

Widening Discrepancy In Official and Actual CO2 Output

Data shows that PHEVs emit just one-fifth lower CO₂ than conventional gas and diesel vehicles, based on analysis conducted by a advocacy organization. That contrasts sharply with laboratory estimates, which assumed a 75% reduction in emissions.

Researchers examined information from in-vehicle fuel consumption meters of eight hundred thousand vehicles registered in Europe from 2021 and 2023. The team found that real-world CO₂ emissions from PHEVs in 2023 were 4.9 times higher than official figures, up from 3.5 times in 2021.

“Real-world emissions are increasing, while official figures are decreasing,” said a senior researcher participating in the study. “That gap is widening and poses a significant problem. Consequently, PHEVs pollute almost as heavily as petrol cars.”

Primary Factors Behind the Emissions Gap

Researchers linked the majority of the gap to overestimates of the “utility factor” – the ratio of kilometers travelled in electric mode compared to overall mileage. The team determined that just 27% of travel was done in EV mode, while lab estimates suggested over four-fifths.

Even, when running in EV mode, emission levels were significantly higher than official estimates. That occurred because EV motors were insufficiently powerful sufficient to function independently, resulting to engines using fossil fuels for nearly one-third of the distance covered in EV mode.

Regulatory and Financial Implications

Based on estimates, the lowballing of PHEV emissions allowed several major carmaker companies to escape more than €5bn in penalties between 2021 and 2023, by falsely easing adherence with EU fleet-average CO₂ targets.

Furthermore, drivers of PHEVs could spend about €500 more annually in running expenses than would be assumed under laboratory tests.

“The strong statements that automakers like to make about their plug-in hybrid vehicles are clearly far from the truth,” commented a automotive expert. “Consumers are being misled into thinking that by buying a PHEV, they are helping the planet and cutting money. Actually, PHEVs are little improved than standard petrol and diesel cars in terms of energy use, CO₂ production, and running expenses.”

Political Debate and Automotive Pressure

Hybrid cars have lately been brought back into political debates as automakers have pressed the European Union to relax CO₂ targets. A proposed prohibition on new combustion engine vehicles in 2035 has faced heavy lobbying from the car industry and resistance from member states with large automotive manufacturing.

Several senior officials have proposed PHEVs as a potential “flexibility” solution to include in the legislation.

An external energy policy expert, who was unaffiliated with the research, described the analysis a “highly valuable addition” after years in which segments of the automotive sector claimed there was insufficient data to accurately evaluate real-world emissions.

“The results show, without question, that the difference in official and real-world PHEV energy use and CO₂ emissions is much, much larger than for gasoline or diesel cars,” they said. “All regulatory changes concerning PHEVs should be implemented with extreme care and in the light of that evidence.”