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PHEVs release nearly 5x greater planet-heating emissions than official figures show, as per a recent report.

Widening Discrepancy Between Lab and Real-World CO2 Output

Data shows that PHEVs release just 19% lower CO₂ than conventional petrol and diesel cars, according to research conducted by a non-profit organization. That differs sharply with lab estimates, which suggested a three-quarters reduction in emissions.

Analysts examined information from onboard energy use monitors of eight hundred thousand cars registered in the EU between 2021 and 2023. The team discovered that real-world CO₂ emissions from PHEVs in 2023 were nearly five times higher than lab figures, up from 3.5 times in 2021.

“Real-world CO2 output are increasing, while lab-reported emissions are falling,” stated a lead analyst involved in the study. “That gap is growing and poses a significant problem. As a result, PHEVs emit almost as heavily as gasoline cars.”

Key Reasons Driving the Emissions Gap

Analysts attributed most of the gap to inflated estimates of the “electric driving share” – the percentage of miles driven in electric power compared to total distance. They found that just a quarter of travel was completed in EV mode, whereas official assumptions suggested 84%.

Even, when operating in electric mode, pollution levels were well above official projections. This happened because EV motors were insufficiently powerful sufficient to function alone, leading to engines burning gasoline for nearly one-third of the travel covered in EV mode.

Regulatory and Economic Implications

According to calculations, the lowballing of PHEV CO2 output enabled four large automaker companies to avoid over €5bn in penalties from 2021 and 2023, by falsely easing adherence with EU average fleet CO₂ standards.

Additionally, drivers of PHEVs could spend about €500 more per year in running costs than is estimated under laboratory tests.

“The strong statements that automakers like to make about their plug-in hybrid cars are clearly far from the mark,” stated a transport expert. “Consumers are being misled into thinking that by purchasing a PHEV, they are helping the planet and saving money. Actually, PHEVs are only slightly improved than standard gas and diesel cars in terms of energy consumption, CO₂ emissions, and running costs.”

Policy Debate and Automotive Pressure

Hybrid vehicles have lately been brought again into political discussions as carmakers have pressed the European Union to relax CO₂ standards. A proposed prohibition on new internal combustion cars in 2035 has faced intense pressure from the car sector and resistance from member states with large automotive industries.

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

One independent energy economics expert, who was unaffiliated with the study, described the report a “highly valuable contribution” after a long period in which segments of the car industry argued there was insufficient information to properly assess real-world emissions.

“The results show, beyond any doubt, that the gap in official and actual PHEV energy use and CO₂ output is significantly greater than for gasoline or diesel cars,” the expert stated. “All regulatory changes concerning PHEVs should be made with utmost care and in the light of that data.”