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PHEVs produce almost five times more global warming pollution than official data show, as per a new analysis.

Widening Discrepancy In Official and Actual CO2 Output

Statistics reveals that PHEVs release only 19% less CO₂ than conventional petrol and diesel vehicles, according to analysis carried out by a non-profit group. That differs significantly with laboratory tests, which assumed a 75% decrease in pollution.

Researchers studied data from onboard energy use monitors of eight hundred thousand cars registered in Europe between 2021 and 2023. They discovered that actual CO₂ output from PHEVs in 2023 were nearly five times higher than official estimates, up from three and a half times in 2021.

“Real-world emissions are rising, while official figures are falling,” said a senior researcher participating in the study. “This gap is widening and poses a significant problem. As a result, PHEVs emit nearly as much as petrol vehicles.”

Primary Reasons Behind the Discrepancy

Analysts attributed most of the difference to inflated estimates of the “electric driving share” – the percentage of kilometers driven in battery power compared to overall distance. The team determined that only a quarter of driving was completed in electric mode, while lab assumptions assumed 84%.

Additionally, when operating in electric mode, emission levels were significantly higher than lab estimates. This occurred because EV motors were insufficiently powerful enough to operate alone, leading to engines burning gasoline for nearly one-third of the travel completed in electric mode.

Regulatory and Financial Implications

Based on calculations, the underestimation of PHEV CO2 output allowed several major automaker companies to escape more than €5bn in penalties between 2021 and 2023, by falsely easing compliance with EU average fleet CO₂ targets.

Furthermore, owners of PHEVs would pay about €500 more per year in running costs than is assumed under laboratory conditions.

“The bold statements that automakers often promote about their plug-in hybrid vehicles are obviously way off the truth,” commented a automotive expert. “Consumers are being misled into believing that by purchasing a PHEV, they are benefiting the planet and saving money. In reality, PHEVs are little improved than regular petrol and diesel vehicles in terms of energy consumption, CO₂ emissions, and running costs.”

Political Discussion and Industry Pressure

Hybrid cars have lately been brought back into political debates as carmakers have lobbied the EU to relax CO₂ standards. A proposed ban on new internal combustion cars in 2035 has faced heavy lobbying from the car sector and opposition from member states with significant automotive manufacturing.

Some high-level officials have proposed plug-in hybrids as a possible “flexibility” option to introduce in the legislation.

An external energy economics specialist, who was not involved with the study, called the analysis a “very useful contribution” after a long period in which parts of the automotive sector claimed there was insufficient information to properly evaluate real-world emissions.

“These findings show, without question, that the difference in official and real-world PHEV energy use and CO₂ output is significantly greater than for petrol or diesel cars,” the expert said. “Any regulatory changes concerning PHEVs should be made with extreme caution and in the light of this evidence.”