🔗 Share this article

PHEVs emit nearly 5x more global warming emissions than lab-reported figures show, as per a new analysis.

Widening Gap Between Lab and Actual Emissions

Statistics reveals that PHEVs emit just 19% lower CO₂ than traditional gas and diesel vehicles, based on analysis carried out by a non-profit organization. That differs sharply with lab estimates, which suggested a 75% decrease in pollution.

Analysts examined information from onboard fuel consumption meters of eight hundred thousand cars registered in the EU from 2021 and 2023. They discovered that real-world CO₂ output from PHEVs in 2023 were 4.9 times greater than lab figures, increased from three and a half times in 2021.

“Real-world CO2 output are increasing, while lab-reported figures are decreasing,” stated a senior researcher involved in the report. “This gap is growing and creates a significant issue. Consequently, PHEVs emit almost as heavily as gasoline cars.”

Primary Factors Driving the Discrepancy

Analysts linked most of the difference to overestimates of the “utility factor” – the percentage of miles driven in electric mode relative to total distance. They determined that just 27% of travel was done in electric mode, whereas official estimates suggested over four-fifths.

Even, when running in EV mode, emission levels were significantly higher than official estimates. That occurred because EV motors were not strong enough to operate independently, resulting to engines burning fossil fuels for nearly one-third of the travel covered in electric mode.

Regulatory and Economic Consequences

According to estimates, the lowballing of PHEV emissions allowed four major automaker companies to escape more than €5bn in fines from 2021 and 2023, by artificially easing adherence with European Union average fleet CO₂ targets.

Furthermore, owners of PHEVs would spend about €500 extra annually in running costs than is estimated under lab conditions.

“The bold claims that manufacturers often promote about their plug-in hybrid cars are clearly far from the truth,” stated a transport expert. “Consumers are being misled into believing that by buying a PHEV, they are benefiting the environment and cutting costs. Actually, PHEVs are only slightly improved than regular gas and diesel vehicles in terms of fuel consumption, CO₂ production, and operating expenses.”

Political Discussion and Automotive Pressure

Hybrid cars have lately been drawn again into political discussions as carmakers have pressed the European Union to relax CO₂ standards. A proposed ban on new internal combustion vehicles in 2035 has faced heavy lobbying from the car industry and resistance from member states with significant automotive manufacturing.

Several high-level officials have proposed plug-in hybrids as a potential “compromise” option to introduce in the legislation.

An external energy policy specialist, who was not involved with the research, described the analysis a “highly valuable addition” after a long period in which parts of the automotive industry claimed there was insufficient information to accurately evaluate actual emissions.

“These findings demonstrate, beyond any doubt, that the gap between official and real-world PHEV energy use and CO₂ emissions is much, much greater than for gasoline or conventional cars,” they said. “All policy changes concerning PHEVs should be made with utmost care and considering this data.”