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PHEVs release nearly five times greater global warming emissions than official data show, as per a recent analysis.

Widening Discrepancy In Lab and Actual Emissions

Data reveals that PHEVs release just 19% lower CO₂ than traditional petrol and diesel cars, according to analysis conducted by a advocacy organization. That differs sharply with lab tests, which suggested a 75% reduction in pollution.

Analysts studied information from onboard fuel consumption meters of eight hundred thousand cars sold in the EU between 2021 and 2023. The team found that real-world CO₂ emissions from PHEVs in 2023 were nearly five times greater than official estimates, up from three and a half times in 2021.

“Actual CO2 output are rising, while lab-reported emissions are decreasing,” said a lead researcher involved in the report. “That gap is growing and creates a significant issue. As a result, PHEVs pollute nearly as heavily as gasoline vehicles.”

Key Reasons Driving the Discrepancy

Analysts attributed most of the difference to overestimates of the “electric driving share” – the percentage of kilometers driven in electric power compared to overall distance. They determined that only 27% of travel was done in EV mode, whereas official assumptions assumed over four-fifths.

Additionally, when operating in EV mode, emission levels were well above official projections. This happened because EV motors were insufficiently powerful sufficient to function alone, leading to engines using gasoline for nearly a third of the travel completed in EV mode.

Policy and Financial Implications

According to calculations, the underestimation of PHEV CO2 output allowed four large automaker companies to escape over €5bn in fines between 2021 and 2023, by falsely simplifying compliance with European Union fleet-average CO₂ targets.

Furthermore, drivers of PHEVs could pay about €500 more annually in operating expenses than is assumed under laboratory conditions.

“The strong claims that automakers like to make about their PHEV vehicles are clearly far from the mark,” commented a automotive expert. “Consumers are being misled into believing that by purchasing a PHEV, they are helping the planet and cutting costs. In reality, PHEVs are only slightly better than regular petrol and diesel cars in terms of energy consumption, CO₂ production, and running expenses.”

Policy Debate and Automotive Lobbying

Hybrid vehicles have recently been drawn back into political debates as carmakers have pressed the European Union to relax CO₂ targets. A planned ban on new combustion engine cars in 2035 has faced heavy pressure from the automotive sector and resistance from EU countries with significant car industries.

Some high-level officials have suggested plug-in hybrids as a potential “flexibility” option to include in the regulation.

An independent energy policy expert, who was not involved with the study, described the report a “highly valuable contribution” after a long period in which parts of the automotive industry claimed there was insufficient data to accurately evaluate real-world emissions.

“These findings demonstrate, without question, that the gap between official and actual PHEV fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions is significantly greater than for gasoline or diesel cars,” the expert stated. “Any regulatory adjustments regarding PHEVs should be made with utmost care and considering this evidence.”