🔗 Share this article

PHEVs emit almost 5x greater planet-heating emissions than official data indicate, as per a recent analysis.

Widening Discrepancy In Lab and Real-World Emissions

Data reveals that PHEVs release just 19% less CO₂ than conventional gas and diesel cars, according to research carried out by a advocacy organization. That differs sharply with laboratory estimates, which suggested a 75% decrease in emissions.

Analysts examined data from onboard fuel consumption meters of 800,000 cars registered in Europe between 2021 and 2023. They discovered that actual CO₂ output from PHEVs in 2023 were nearly five times higher than lab figures, increased from 3.5 times in 2021.

“Actual CO2 output are rising, while official emissions are falling,” stated a senior analyst participating in the report. “This gap is widening and creates a serious issue. Consequently, PHEVs emit nearly as much as petrol cars.”

Key Reasons Driving the Emissions Gap

Researchers linked most of the gap to inflated estimates of the “electric driving share” – the ratio of kilometers driven in electric power compared to total mileage. They found that just a quarter of travel was done in EV mode, while lab estimates suggested 84%.

Additionally, when running in electric mode, pollution amounts were significantly higher than lab estimates. This occurred because EV motors were not strong enough to function alone, resulting to engines using gasoline for almost a third of the distance completed in electric mode.

Regulatory and Financial Implications

Based on estimates, the underestimation of PHEV emissions enabled several major carmaker companies to escape over €5bn in penalties between 2021 and 2023, by falsely easing compliance with European Union fleet-average CO₂ targets.

Furthermore, drivers of PHEVs could pay about €500 extra per year in operating costs than would be estimated under lab conditions.

“The bold statements that automakers often promote about their plug-in hybrid cars are obviously way off the truth,” commented a transport expert. “Consumers are being duped into believing that by purchasing a PHEV, they are helping the environment and saving costs. Actually, PHEVs are little improved than standard gas and diesel vehicles in terms of fuel consumption, CO₂ emissions, and operating costs.”

Political Discussion and Automotive Pressure

Plug-in hybrid cars have lately been brought back into policy discussions as carmakers have pressed the EU to weaken CO₂ standards. A planned ban on sales of new internal combustion cars in 2035 has faced heavy lobbying from the car sector and resistance from member states with significant automotive manufacturing.

Several senior politicians have proposed plug-in hybrids as a potential “flexibility” solution to introduce in the regulation.

One external energy policy specialist, who was unaffiliated with the study, described the report a “highly valuable contribution” after years in which segments of the automotive industry claimed there was insufficient data to properly assess actual emissions.

“These findings demonstrate, without question, that the difference in lab and real-world PHEV fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions is much, much larger than for petrol or diesel cars,” the expert stated. “Any policy adjustments concerning PHEVs should be made with extreme care and in the light of that evidence.”