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PHEVs emit almost 5x more planet-heating pollution than official data show, as per a recent analysis.

Widening Gap In Official and Real-World Emissions

Statistics shows that PHEVs emit only one-fifth less CO₂ than conventional gas and diesel vehicles, based on analysis carried out by a advocacy organization. This contrasts sharply with laboratory tests, which assumed a 75% reduction in emissions.

Analysts studied data from in-vehicle fuel consumption monitors of 800,000 cars sold in Europe from 2021 and 2023. The team discovered that actual CO₂ emissions from PHEVs in 2023 were nearly five times higher than official figures, up from 3.5 times in 2021.

“Real-world CO2 output are increasing, while official emissions are falling,” stated a lead analyst involved in the study. “That gap is growing and poses a serious issue. As a result, PHEVs emit almost as much as petrol cars.”

Key Factors Driving the Emissions Gap

Analysts linked the majority of the gap to inflated estimates of the “utility factor” – the ratio of miles travelled in battery mode relative to overall distance. The team found that only 27% of travel was done in EV mode, whereas lab estimates suggested over four-fifths.

Additionally, when operating in electric mode, emission levels were significantly higher than official estimates. That happened because electric motors were insufficiently powerful enough to function independently, resulting to engines burning gasoline for almost a third of the travel covered in EV mode.

Policy and Financial Consequences

Based on calculations, the underestimation of PHEV emissions enabled several major automaker companies to avoid more than €5bn in penalties from 2021 and 2023, by falsely easing compliance with EU average fleet CO₂ standards.

Furthermore, drivers of PHEVs would spend about €500 more annually in running costs than would be estimated under lab conditions.

“The bold claims that automakers often promote about their plug-in hybrid cars are clearly way off the truth,” stated a transport expert. “Consumers are being duped into thinking that by purchasing a PHEV, they are benefiting the planet and saving money. Actually, PHEVs are only slightly improved than standard gas and diesel vehicles in terms of fuel consumption, CO₂ production, and operating expenses.”

Political Discussion and Industry Pressure

Hybrid vehicles have recently been brought back into policy discussions as carmakers have lobbied the EU to weaken CO₂ targets. A planned ban on new internal combustion cars in 2035 has faced intense pressure from the car sector and opposition from EU countries with significant car manufacturing.

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

One external energy economics expert, who was not involved with the research, called the report a “very useful contribution” after years in which segments of the car sector argued there was too little data to properly evaluate actual emissions.

“The results demonstrate, without question, that the difference in official and real-world PHEV fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions is much, much larger than for petrol or conventional vehicles,” they said. “Any policy changes concerning PHEVs should be made with utmost caution and in the light of this evidence.”