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Plug-in hybrid cars emit nearly 5x greater global warming emissions than official figures indicate, as per a recent report.

Widening Gap Between Official and Actual Emissions

Data reveals that PHEVs emit only 19% less CO₂ than traditional gas and diesel cars, based on analysis carried out by a advocacy organization. That differs significantly with lab tests, which suggested a three-quarters reduction in emissions.

Researchers studied information from onboard energy use meters of 800,000 vehicles sold in Europe between 2021 and 2023. They found that real-world CO₂ emissions from PHEVs in 2023 were nearly five times higher than lab estimates, increased from three and a half times in 2021.

“Actual emissions are increasing, while lab-reported figures are decreasing,” stated a lead analyst participating in the study. “This discrepancy is growing and creates a significant problem. As a result, PHEVs emit nearly as much as petrol cars.”

Primary Reasons Driving the Emissions Gap

Analysts linked the majority of the gap to overestimates of the “utility factor” – the percentage of miles travelled in electric power relative to total distance. The team determined that only a quarter of travel was done in electric mode, while official assumptions assumed over four-fifths.

Additionally, when running in electric mode, pollution amounts were significantly higher than lab estimates. That occurred because EV motors were not strong enough to function alone, resulting to combustion motors using fossil fuels for almost one-third of the travel completed in electric mode.

Policy and Financial Consequences

Based on calculations, the underestimation of PHEV emissions allowed four major automaker companies to escape over €5bn in fines from 2021 and 2023, by artificially easing adherence with EU fleet-average CO₂ targets.

Furthermore, owners of PHEVs could pay about €500 extra annually in running expenses than is estimated under lab tests.

“The bold claims that automakers like to make about their PHEV vehicles are obviously far from the truth,” commented a automotive expert. “Consumers are being duped into believing that by buying a PHEV, they are benefiting the planet and cutting costs. Actually, PHEVs are only slightly improved than standard petrol and diesel cars in terms of energy consumption, CO₂ production, and operating expenses.”

Policy Debate and Industry Pressure

Hybrid cars have lately been brought back into policy discussions as automakers have lobbied the EU to weaken CO₂ standards. A planned prohibition on sales of new combustion engine vehicles in 2035 has faced heavy lobbying from the automotive sector and opposition from member states with large automotive manufacturing.

Several senior politicians have suggested PHEVs as a possible “flexibility” option to introduce in the regulation.

One independent energy policy specialist, who was unaffiliated with the research, described the report a “very useful addition” after years in which segments of the car industry claimed there was insufficient information to properly assess real-world CO2 output.

“These findings demonstrate, without question, that the difference between lab and real-world PHEV fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions is significantly larger than for gasoline or conventional cars,” they stated. “Any regulatory changes regarding PHEVs should be made with utmost caution and in the light of that data.”