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PHEVs produce nearly 5x more global warming pollution than official data indicate, as per a recent report.

Widening Gap In Lab and Real-World CO2 Output

Data reveals that PHEVs release just one-fifth lower CO₂ than traditional gas and diesel vehicles, according to analysis carried out by a advocacy group. This differs significantly with laboratory tests, which suggested a three-quarters reduction in pollution.

Researchers studied information from in-vehicle energy use monitors of 800,000 cars sold in the EU from 2021 and 2023. They discovered that real-world CO₂ emissions from PHEVs in 2023 were nearly five times greater than lab figures, increased from 3.5 times in 2021.

“Real-world CO2 output are rising, while official emissions are falling,” said a lead researcher involved in the report. “This gap is growing and creates a serious problem. As a result, PHEVs emit almost as heavily as gasoline vehicles.”

Key Factors Behind the Emissions Gap

Analysts attributed the majority of the gap to inflated estimates of the “utility factor” – the percentage of kilometers driven in electric mode compared to overall distance. They found that just a quarter of driving was done in electric mode, whereas lab assumptions assumed over four-fifths.

Additionally, when running in EV mode, emission levels were significantly higher than official projections. That occurred because EV motors were not strong enough to function independently, resulting to combustion motors burning gasoline for nearly one-third of the distance covered in EV mode.

Policy and Financial Implications

According to calculations, the underestimation of PHEV CO2 output allowed several major carmaker groups to avoid over €5bn in fines between 2021 and 2023, by falsely easing compliance with EU fleet-average CO₂ targets.

Additionally, drivers of PHEVs could pay approximately €500 extra annually in operating costs than would be estimated under lab tests.

“The bold statements that manufacturers often promote about their plug-in hybrid vehicles are obviously far from the truth,” stated a automotive analyst. “Consumers are being duped into believing that by buying a PHEV, they are helping the environment and cutting costs. In reality, PHEVs are little better than regular gas and diesel vehicles in terms of energy consumption, CO₂ emissions, and operating expenses.”

Political Debate and Automotive Pressure

Plug-in hybrid vehicles have lately been brought again into political debates as carmakers have pressed the EU to relax CO₂ targets. A planned prohibition on sales of new internal combustion cars in 2035 has faced heavy pressure from the automotive industry and opposition from EU countries with significant automotive manufacturing.

Several senior politicians have proposed PHEVs as a possible “compromise” solution to introduce in the regulation.

An external energy economics expert, who was not involved with the research, described the report a “highly valuable addition” after a long period in which parts of the automotive industry argued there was insufficient data to accurately assess real-world emissions.

“The results show, without question, that the difference between lab and actual PHEV energy use and CO₂ emissions is significantly greater than for petrol or diesel vehicles,” they stated. “Any regulatory adjustments regarding PHEVs should be implemented with utmost care and in the light of this data.”