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PHEVs produce almost 5x greater global warming emissions than official data indicate, as per a new report.

Growing Gap Between Lab and Actual Emissions

Statistics reveals that PHEVs emit just one-fifth less CO₂ than traditional petrol and diesel cars, according to analysis conducted by a advocacy group. This contrasts sharply with lab estimates, which assumed a 75% reduction in emissions.

Analysts examined information from onboard energy use monitors of eight hundred thousand vehicles sold in Europe between 2021 and 2023. The team found that real-world CO₂ emissions from PHEVs in 2023 were nearly five times higher than official estimates, increased from three and a half times in 2021.

“Actual emissions are increasing, while official emissions are decreasing,” said a lead researcher involved in the report. “That discrepancy is widening and creates a serious problem. As a result, PHEVs emit nearly as much as gasoline cars.”

Key Reasons Behind the Discrepancy

Analysts linked most of the difference to inflated estimates of the “utility factor” – the ratio of miles driven in battery mode compared to overall mileage. They determined that just 27% of travel was completed in EV mode, while lab estimates assumed over four-fifths.

Even, when running in EV mode, pollution amounts were well above official estimates. This occurred because electric motors were insufficiently powerful sufficient to function alone, leading to engines burning fossil fuels for almost one-third of the travel covered in electric mode.

Regulatory and Financial Consequences

According to estimates, the lowballing of PHEV emissions allowed several major automaker groups to avoid more than €5bn in penalties between 2021 and 2023, by falsely easing compliance with European Union fleet-average CO₂ standards.

Furthermore, drivers of PHEVs would pay approximately €500 more annually in operating expenses than would be assumed under lab conditions.

“The strong claims that manufacturers often promote about their plug-in hybrid cars are clearly far from the mark,” commented a automotive analyst. “Buyers are being duped into believing that by buying a PHEV, they are helping the environment and cutting money. In reality, PHEVs are only slightly improved than regular petrol and diesel cars in terms of fuel consumption, CO₂ production, and operating costs.”

Political Debate and Industry Lobbying

Plug-in hybrid vehicles have recently been brought back into political discussions as carmakers have lobbied the EU to weaken CO₂ targets. A planned ban on sales of new internal combustion cars in 2035 has faced heavy pressure from the car sector and opposition from member states with significant car industries.

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

An external energy policy expert, who was unaffiliated with the study, described the report a “highly valuable addition” after a long period in which segments of the automotive sector argued there was insufficient information to accurately assess real-world emissions.

“The results demonstrate, without question, that the difference in lab and actual PHEV energy use and CO₂ emissions is much, much greater than for petrol or conventional cars,” the expert said. “Any regulatory changes concerning PHEVs should be made with extreme care and considering this evidence.”