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PHEVs release nearly five times greater global warming pollution than lab-reported data show, as per a recent report.

Growing Discrepancy Between Lab and Actual CO2 Output

Data reveals that PHEVs release just 19% lower CO₂ than traditional gas and diesel cars, based on research conducted by a advocacy organization. This contrasts sharply with laboratory tests, which assumed a 75% reduction in pollution.

Analysts studied information from onboard energy use meters of 800,000 cars registered in Europe from 2021 and 2023. They discovered that actual CO₂ output from PHEVs in 2023 were 4.9 times greater than official estimates, increased from three and a half times in 2021.

“Real-world CO2 output are increasing, while official figures are decreasing,” stated a senior analyst participating in the study. “That gap is growing and creates a significant issue. Consequently, PHEVs emit almost as heavily as petrol cars.”

Primary Reasons Behind the Emissions Gap

Analysts attributed the majority of the gap to overestimates of the “electric driving share” – the percentage of kilometers driven in electric mode relative to overall distance. The team found that only a quarter of driving was done in EV mode, while official assumptions assumed over four-fifths.

Even, when operating in EV mode, emission levels were well above lab estimates. This occurred because EV motors were insufficiently powerful enough to operate independently, leading to combustion motors using gasoline for nearly one-third of the travel covered in EV mode.

Regulatory and Economic Implications

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

Furthermore, owners of PHEVs could pay approximately €500 more annually in operating expenses than would be estimated under lab tests.

“The bold statements that manufacturers like to make about their PHEV cars are clearly far from the mark,” stated a transport analyst. “Buyers are being duped into thinking that by buying a PHEV, they are benefiting the environment and saving money. In reality, PHEVs are little better than regular gas and diesel cars in terms of energy consumption, CO₂ emissions, and running expenses.”

Policy Discussion and Industry Pressure

Plug-in hybrid cars have recently been drawn back into policy debates as carmakers have pressed the EU to relax CO₂ targets. A planned ban on new internal combustion cars in 2035 has faced intense lobbying from the car industry and resistance from EU countries with significant automotive manufacturing.

Several senior politicians have suggested PHEVs as a potential “flexibility” option to include in the regulation.

One external energy economics expert, who was not involved with the study, called the report a “highly valuable contribution” after years in which parts of the automotive industry argued there was insufficient information to properly evaluate real-world emissions.

“These findings show, without question, that the gap between official and real-world PHEV fuel consumption and CO₂ output is significantly larger than for gasoline or diesel cars,” the expert stated. “Any regulatory changes concerning PHEVs should be made with extreme care and in the light of that evidence.”