🔗 Share this article

Plug-in hybrid cars produce nearly five times greater global warming pollution than lab-reported figures indicate, as per a recent report.

Widening Discrepancy In Official and Real-World Emissions

Data reveals that PHEVs release just 19% less CO₂ than traditional petrol and diesel vehicles, based on analysis conducted by a non-profit group. That differs significantly with lab estimates, which suggested a 75% reduction in pollution.

Analysts examined information from onboard energy use monitors of 800,000 cars registered in the EU between 2021 and 2023. They found that real-world CO₂ emissions from PHEVs in 2023 were 4.9 times greater than official figures, increased from 3.5 times in 2021.

“Real-world CO2 output are rising, while official figures are decreasing,” said a lead researcher participating in the report. “This discrepancy is widening and creates a significant issue. As a result, PHEVs pollute nearly as much as petrol cars.”

Primary Reasons Behind the Emissions Gap

Analysts linked the majority of the difference to overestimates of the “utility factor” – the ratio of miles travelled in battery mode relative to total distance. They found that just 27% of travel was completed in electric mode, while lab estimates assumed 84%.

Even, when operating in EV mode, pollution levels were well above official estimates. That occurred because EV motors were insufficiently powerful sufficient to function alone, leading to engines using fossil fuels for almost a third of the distance covered in EV mode.

Regulatory and Economic Implications

Based on estimates, the lowballing of PHEV emissions enabled several large automaker companies to escape more than €5bn in penalties between 2021 and 2023, by falsely simplifying compliance with European Union average fleet CO₂ standards.

Furthermore, drivers of PHEVs would pay approximately €500 extra annually in operating costs than is estimated under lab conditions.

“The bold statements that manufacturers often promote about their PHEV vehicles are clearly 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 saving costs. Actually, PHEVs are only slightly better than standard gas and diesel cars in terms of fuel consumption, CO₂ emissions, and operating costs.”

Policy Discussion and Industry Pressure

Hybrid cars have recently been brought again into political discussions as carmakers have lobbied the European Union to weaken CO₂ standards. A proposed ban on new internal combustion vehicles in 2035 has faced intense lobbying from the car industry and resistance from EU countries with significant car manufacturing.

Several high-level politicians have proposed PHEVs as a possible “flexibility” option to include in the legislation.

An external energy policy specialist, who was unaffiliated with the research, called the analysis a “highly valuable contribution” after years in which segments of the car industry argued there was too little information to properly assess real-world emissions.

“The results show, without question, that the gap between official and actual PHEV fuel consumption and CO₂ output is much, much greater than for petrol or diesel vehicles,” they stated. “Any policy adjustments regarding PHEVs should be made with utmost care and in the light of this data.”