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Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles emit nearly 5x more global warming emissions than official figures show, as per a new report.

Widening Discrepancy In Lab and Actual CO2 Output

Statistics shows that PHEVs emit just 19% less CO₂ than traditional petrol and diesel cars, according to analysis carried out by a advocacy organization. This contrasts significantly with laboratory tests, which assumed a three-quarters reduction in pollution.

Analysts examined information from in-vehicle energy use meters of 800,000 vehicles registered in Europe between 2021 and 2023. The team discovered that actual CO₂ output from PHEVs in 2023 were nearly five times greater than official estimates, increased from 3.5 times in 2021.

“Actual emissions are rising, while lab-reported emissions are decreasing,” said a lead analyst involved in the report. “That discrepancy is growing and creates a significant issue. As a result, PHEVs emit almost as heavily as gasoline cars.”

Key Factors Behind the Emissions Gap

Researchers linked most of the difference to overestimates of the “utility factor” – the ratio of miles driven in battery power relative to total mileage. The team determined that just 27% of driving was done in electric mode, whereas official assumptions assumed over four-fifths.

Additionally, when running in electric mode, pollution amounts were well above lab estimates. This happened because electric motors were insufficiently powerful sufficient to function alone, resulting to combustion motors using gasoline for nearly a third of the distance completed in EV mode.

Policy and Economic Consequences

According to estimates, the lowballing of PHEV CO2 output allowed four large automaker companies to escape more than €5bn in penalties between 2021 and 2023, by artificially simplifying adherence with EU average fleet CO₂ standards.

Additionally, drivers of PHEVs could pay approximately €500 more per year in operating expenses than is assumed under laboratory conditions.

“The strong claims that automakers like to make about their PHEV cars are clearly way off the truth,” commented a transport analyst. “Buyers are being misled into believing that by buying a PHEV, they are helping the planet and saving money. Actually, PHEVs are little improved than regular petrol and diesel cars in terms of fuel use, CO₂ emissions, and operating expenses.”

Policy Discussion and Industry Lobbying

Hybrid cars have lately been brought again into political discussions as automakers have lobbied the EU to weaken CO₂ standards. A planned prohibition on new combustion engine cars in 2035 has faced heavy lobbying from the automotive sector and resistance from member states with significant automotive industries.

Several high-level politicians have suggested PHEVs as a possible “flexibility” solution to introduce in the legislation.

One independent energy policy specialist, who was not involved with the study, described the analysis a “highly valuable addition” after years in which segments of the automotive industry argued there was insufficient data to accurately assess actual CO2 output.

“The results show, beyond any doubt, that the difference in official and real-world PHEV energy use and CO₂ output is much, much larger than for gasoline or diesel vehicles,” the expert stated. “Any regulatory changes concerning PHEVs should be implemented with extreme caution and in the light of this evidence.”