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Plug-in hybrid cars emit almost five times more planet-heating emissions than official data show, as per a new report.

Growing Gap Between Lab and Actual Emissions

Data reveals that PHEVs emit only 19% lower CO₂ than traditional gas and diesel vehicles, according to research conducted by a advocacy group. This contrasts sharply with laboratory estimates, which assumed a three-quarters reduction in pollution.

Analysts examined data from onboard fuel consumption meters of eight hundred thousand vehicles sold in Europe between 2021 and 2023. They discovered that real-world CO₂ output from PHEVs in 2023 were 4.9 times higher than lab estimates, up from 3.5 times in 2021.

“Real-world CO2 output are rising, while lab-reported emissions are decreasing,” stated a lead analyst participating in the report. “That gap is widening and creates a serious issue. Consequently, PHEVs pollute nearly as much as gasoline cars.”

Primary Reasons Behind the Emissions Gap

Researchers attributed most of the gap to overestimates of the “electric driving share” – the ratio of miles driven in battery power compared to total distance. The team found that just a quarter of driving was done in EV mode, while official assumptions suggested over four-fifths.

Even, when operating in electric mode, emission levels were well above lab estimates. That happened because EV motors were insufficiently powerful sufficient to function alone, resulting to engines using gasoline for almost a third of the travel covered in electric mode.

Policy and Financial Implications

According to estimates, the underestimation of PHEV CO2 output enabled several large automaker groups to escape more than €5bn in fines between 2021 and 2023, by artificially easing compliance with European Union average fleet CO₂ standards.

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

“The strong statements that automakers often promote about their plug-in hybrid vehicles are clearly far from the truth,” stated a automotive analyst. “Consumers are being duped into thinking that by purchasing a PHEV, they are benefiting the planet and saving money. Actually, PHEVs are only slightly improved than standard gas and diesel vehicles in terms of energy use, CO₂ emissions, and running expenses.”

Policy Debate and Industry Lobbying

Plug-in hybrid cars have lately been brought back into political debates as carmakers have pressed the EU to weaken CO₂ standards. A planned ban on sales of new internal combustion vehicles in 2035 has faced intense pressure from the automotive industry and opposition from member states with significant automotive industries.

Several high-level officials have proposed PHEVs as a possible “compromise” solution to include in the legislation.

An independent energy policy expert, who was not involved with the research, called the analysis a “highly valuable contribution” after years in which parts of the automotive industry argued there was insufficient data to properly evaluate actual CO2 output.

“The results demonstrate, without question, that the difference between official and real-world PHEV fuel consumption and CO₂ output is much, much greater than for gasoline or conventional vehicles,” the expert stated. “All regulatory changes concerning PHEVs should be implemented with extreme care and in the light of that evidence.”