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PHEVs emit nearly five times greater global warming pollution than lab-reported data indicate, as per a recent report.

Widening Gap In Lab and Actual CO2 Output

Data reveals that PHEVs emit only 19% less CO₂ than conventional petrol and diesel vehicles, based on analysis carried out by a advocacy organization. This differs sharply with lab tests, which suggested a 75% decrease in emissions.

Researchers examined information from in-vehicle energy use meters of 800,000 vehicles sold in Europe between 2021 and 2023. They discovered that actual CO₂ output from PHEVs in 2023 were 4.9 times greater than official figures, increased from 3.5 times in 2021.

“Real-world CO2 output are rising, while official emissions are decreasing,” said a lead researcher involved in the report. “This discrepancy is widening and poses a significant problem. Consequently, PHEVs pollute nearly as heavily as gasoline vehicles.”

Key Reasons Driving the Emissions Gap

Analysts attributed the majority of the gap to overestimates of the “utility factor” – the ratio of miles travelled in battery mode compared to overall distance. They determined that only 27% of travel was done in EV mode, whereas official estimates assumed over four-fifths.

Additionally, when running in EV mode, pollution levels were significantly higher than lab projections. This happened because electric motors were not strong enough to function independently, leading to combustion motors using gasoline for almost a third of the distance covered in EV mode.

Policy and Financial Implications

According to estimates, the lowballing of PHEV emissions allowed four major carmaker companies to avoid more than €5bn in penalties between 2021 and 2023, by artificially simplifying adherence with European Union fleet-average CO₂ standards.

Furthermore, drivers of PHEVs could spend approximately €500 more per year in operating expenses than is estimated under lab tests.

“The strong claims that automakers often promote about their PHEV cars are clearly far from the truth,” stated a transport analyst. “Consumers are being misled into believing that by purchasing a PHEV, they are helping the planet and cutting money. Actually, PHEVs are only slightly improved than standard gas and diesel vehicles in terms of fuel consumption, CO₂ emissions, and running costs.”

Political Debate and Automotive Pressure

Plug-in hybrid cars have lately been drawn again into political debates as automakers have pressed the EU to relax CO₂ targets. A proposed ban on sales of new internal combustion cars in 2035 has faced heavy lobbying from the car industry and opposition from EU countries with large automotive industries.

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

An independent energy policy expert, who was unaffiliated with the study, called the analysis a “highly valuable contribution” after a long period in which parts of the automotive industry claimed there was too little information to properly evaluate real-world CO2 output.

“The results demonstrate, beyond any doubt, that the gap in official and actual PHEV energy use and CO₂ emissions is significantly greater than for petrol or conventional cars,” the expert said. “Any policy adjustments concerning PHEVs should be implemented with extreme care and considering this data.”