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PHEVs produce almost five times more global warming emissions than official figures show, according to a recent report.

Growing Discrepancy In Lab and Real-World Emissions

Data shows that PHEVs release only 19% lower CO₂ than conventional petrol and diesel vehicles, based on research conducted by a non-profit organization. That contrasts significantly with lab estimates, which suggested a three-quarters decrease in pollution.

Analysts examined data from onboard fuel consumption meters of eight hundred thousand cars sold in Europe from 2021 and 2023. The team found that actual CO₂ emissions from PHEVs in 2023 were nearly five times greater than lab figures, up from 3.5 times in 2021.

“Actual CO2 output are increasing, while lab-reported figures are decreasing,” stated a lead analyst participating in the report. “That gap is widening and creates a significant issue. Consequently, PHEVs pollute almost as heavily as gasoline cars.”

Primary Reasons Driving the Emissions Gap

Analysts attributed the majority of the difference to inflated estimates of the “utility factor” – the percentage of miles driven in electric mode relative to overall mileage. The team found that just a quarter of travel was done in EV mode, while lab estimates suggested 84%.

Even, when operating in EV mode, emission amounts were well above lab estimates. That happened because electric motors were not strong sufficient to operate alone, leading to combustion motors using gasoline for almost a third of the distance completed in electric mode.

Regulatory and Financial Consequences

According to calculations, the lowballing of PHEV emissions enabled several major carmaker groups to avoid more than €5bn in penalties from 2021 and 2023, by artificially simplifying compliance with EU average fleet CO₂ targets.

Additionally, drivers of PHEVs would pay approximately €500 more annually in operating expenses than is estimated under laboratory tests.

“The strong claims that manufacturers like to make about their plug-in hybrid vehicles are obviously way off the truth,” stated a automotive analyst. “Consumers are being duped into thinking that by buying a PHEV, they are benefiting the environment and cutting costs. Actually, PHEVs are only slightly improved than regular petrol and diesel cars in terms of energy consumption, CO₂ production, and running costs.”

Political Discussion and Automotive Lobbying

Hybrid cars have lately been brought again into policy discussions as automakers have pressed the EU to relax CO₂ standards. A proposed ban on sales of new internal combustion vehicles in 2035 has faced heavy lobbying from the automotive sector and resistance from EU countries with large car manufacturing.

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

One external energy economics specialist, who was not involved with the study, described the analysis a “highly valuable addition” after years in which parts of the automotive industry argued there was insufficient information to accurately assess actual CO2 output.

“These findings demonstrate, beyond any doubt, that the difference in official and real-world PHEV fuel consumption and CO₂ output is much, much greater than for petrol or conventional cars,” the expert said. “Any policy changes concerning PHEVs should be made with extreme care and considering this data.”