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PHEVs produce nearly five times more global warming pollution than official figures show, as per a recent report.

Widening Discrepancy Between Lab and Actual CO2 Output

Statistics shows that PHEVs emit only one-fifth less CO₂ than conventional petrol and diesel vehicles, based on research carried out by a advocacy group. That contrasts significantly with laboratory tests, which assumed a three-quarters decrease in pollution.

Analysts examined data from onboard fuel consumption monitors of 800,000 cars sold in the EU from 2021 and 2023. They found that real-world CO₂ emissions from PHEVs in 2023 were nearly five times greater than official estimates, up from 3.5 times in 2021.

“Real-world CO2 output are rising, while official emissions are decreasing,” said a senior analyst participating in the study. “This discrepancy is widening and poses a significant issue. Consequently, PHEVs emit nearly as much as gasoline vehicles.”

Primary Reasons Behind the Discrepancy

Researchers attributed most of the gap to overestimates of the “electric driving share” – the percentage of kilometers driven in electric power relative to overall distance. They determined that only a quarter of driving was completed in EV mode, while official estimates assumed over four-fifths.

Even, when operating in electric mode, emission amounts were significantly higher than official estimates. That occurred because EV motors were insufficiently powerful sufficient to function independently, resulting to engines burning gasoline for nearly a third of the travel completed in electric mode.

Policy and Economic Implications

According to estimates, the lowballing of PHEV CO2 output allowed several major automaker groups to avoid more than €5bn in penalties between 2021 and 2023, by falsely simplifying adherence with EU average fleet CO₂ standards.

Furthermore, owners of PHEVs would spend about €500 extra per year in operating costs than would be estimated under laboratory tests.

“The strong statements that automakers often promote about their PHEV cars are clearly far from the mark,” commented a transport expert. “Consumers are being misled into believing that by purchasing a PHEV, they are helping the environment and cutting costs. Actually, PHEVs are only slightly improved than standard petrol and diesel vehicles in terms of energy use, CO₂ production, and running expenses.”

Political Discussion and Automotive Lobbying

Plug-in hybrid vehicles have recently been drawn again into policy debates as automakers have lobbied the EU to weaken CO₂ standards. A proposed ban on sales of new combustion engine cars in 2035 has faced intense lobbying from the automotive sector and resistance from EU countries with significant automotive industries.

Some senior politicians have proposed plug-in hybrids as a potential “compromise” solution to include in the legislation.

One external energy economics expert, who was not involved with the research, described the analysis a “highly valuable addition” after years in which parts of the car sector argued there was too little information to properly evaluate actual emissions.

“The results show, without question, that the difference between lab and real-world PHEV fuel consumption and CO₂ output is significantly larger than for gasoline or conventional vehicles,” they stated. “Any policy changes concerning PHEVs should be implemented with extreme caution and considering this evidence.”