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Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles release nearly five times more global warming emissions than official data show, as per a new analysis.

Growing Gap In Official and Actual CO2 Output

Statistics shows that PHEVs release just 19% less CO₂ than traditional petrol and diesel vehicles, based on analysis conducted by a advocacy organization. That differs significantly with lab tests, which suggested a 75% reduction in emissions.

Analysts examined information from onboard energy use meters of 800,000 vehicles registered in Europe between 2021 and 2023. The team discovered that real-world CO₂ emissions from PHEVs in 2023 were 4.9 times greater than official figures, up from 3.5 times in 2021.

“Real-world emissions are rising, while lab-reported emissions are decreasing,” said a lead analyst participating in the study. “That discrepancy is growing and creates a serious issue. As a result, PHEVs pollute nearly as much as petrol cars.”

Primary Factors Behind the Discrepancy

Researchers attributed most of the difference to inflated estimates of the “utility factor” – the percentage of miles travelled in battery power relative to total mileage. The team found that only a quarter of travel was done in electric mode, while official assumptions assumed over four-fifths.

Additionally, when running in electric mode, emission levels were well above official projections. This occurred because EV motors were not strong enough to function alone, leading to combustion motors burning fossil fuels for almost one-third of the distance completed in EV mode.

Regulatory and Financial Implications

Based on calculations, the lowballing of PHEV emissions allowed several large automaker companies to escape over €5bn in penalties from 2021 and 2023, by artificially easing compliance with European Union fleet-average CO₂ standards.

Furthermore, owners of PHEVs would spend approximately €500 extra annually in operating expenses than would be estimated under laboratory tests.

“The bold claims that automakers like to make about their PHEV cars are obviously far from the truth,” commented a automotive analyst. “Buyers are being misled into thinking that by buying a PHEV, they are benefiting the environment and saving costs. Actually, PHEVs are little improved than regular gas and diesel vehicles in terms of fuel consumption, CO₂ production, and operating expenses.”

Policy Debate and Industry Pressure

Plug-in hybrid cars have recently been brought again into political debates as automakers have pressed the EU to relax CO₂ targets. A planned ban on new internal combustion cars in 2035 has faced intense lobbying from the automotive sector and opposition from member states with large car industries.

Some senior politicians have suggested PHEVs as a potential “compromise” option to include in the legislation.

An external energy policy expert, who was unaffiliated with the research, called the report a “highly valuable addition” after years in which parts of the car sector claimed there was too little information to accurately evaluate real-world CO2 output.

“These findings show, beyond any doubt, that the difference in lab and actual PHEV fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions is significantly larger than for petrol or conventional cars,” they stated. “Any regulatory changes concerning PHEVs should be made with utmost caution and in the light of that evidence.”