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Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles produce almost five times more global warming pollution than official data indicate, as per a recent analysis.

Widening Gap In Lab and Real-World CO2 Output

Statistics shows that PHEVs emit just 19% lower CO₂ than traditional gas and diesel cars, according to analysis carried out by a non-profit group. This contrasts sharply with laboratory tests, which suggested a three-quarters decrease in pollution.

Researchers studied data from onboard energy use monitors of eight hundred thousand cars registered in Europe between 2021 and 2023. The team found that actual CO₂ output from PHEVs in 2023 were nearly five times greater than lab figures, increased from 3.5 times in 2021.

“Real-world emissions are rising, while lab-reported emissions are falling,” said a senior analyst participating in the study. “That discrepancy is widening and creates a serious problem. Consequently, PHEVs pollute nearly as much as petrol vehicles.”

Primary Reasons Behind the Discrepancy

Analysts linked the majority of the gap to inflated estimates of the “electric driving share” – the percentage of kilometers driven in battery mode compared to overall distance. They determined that just 27% of driving was completed in electric mode, whereas lab estimates suggested 84%.

Additionally, when running in EV mode, pollution amounts were well above lab projections. This occurred because EV motors were insufficiently powerful enough to operate alone, leading to combustion motors using fossil fuels for nearly one-third of the travel completed in electric mode.

Regulatory and Financial Consequences

According to estimates, the lowballing of PHEV emissions enabled four major carmaker groups to escape more than €5bn in penalties between 2021 and 2023, by falsely simplifying compliance with EU average fleet CO₂ standards.

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

“The bold statements that automakers like to make about their PHEV vehicles are obviously way off the mark,” stated a automotive analyst. “Consumers are being misled into believing that by buying a PHEV, they are helping the planet and saving costs. In reality, PHEVs are only slightly better than standard gas and diesel cars in terms of energy use, CO₂ production, and running expenses.”

Policy Discussion and Automotive Lobbying

Hybrid cars have recently been brought back into political discussions as automakers have lobbied the EU to weaken CO₂ standards. A planned ban on new combustion engine cars in 2035 has faced intense pressure from the car industry and opposition from EU countries with large car manufacturing.

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

An independent energy policy expert, who was unaffiliated with the research, described the analysis a “highly valuable contribution” after years in which parts of the car sector argued there was insufficient information to properly evaluate actual CO2 output.

“The results show, beyond any doubt, that the difference between lab and real-world PHEV fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions is much, much larger than for petrol or diesel cars,” they stated. “Any regulatory adjustments regarding PHEVs should be made with extreme care and considering that evidence.”