🔗 Share this article

PHEVs emit almost 5x greater global warming pollution than lab-reported figures show, as per a new report.

Widening Gap In Official and Real-World Emissions

Statistics reveals that PHEVs emit just 19% lower CO₂ than conventional gas and diesel vehicles, according to research conducted by a advocacy group. That differs sharply with laboratory tests, which suggested a 75% decrease in pollution.

Researchers examined data from onboard fuel consumption monitors of eight hundred thousand vehicles sold in Europe from 2021 and 2023. They found that real-world CO₂ output from PHEVs in 2023 were 4.9 times greater than lab estimates, up from 3.5 times in 2021.

“Actual emissions are increasing, while lab-reported emissions are falling,” said a senior researcher participating in the study. “This discrepancy is growing and poses a serious issue. Consequently, PHEVs emit almost as much as petrol vehicles.”

Primary Reasons Behind the Discrepancy

Analysts linked the majority of the gap to overestimates of the “utility factor” – the ratio of kilometers travelled in electric power relative to overall distance. The team found that just a quarter of driving was completed in electric mode, while official estimates assumed over four-fifths.

Additionally, when operating in EV mode, pollution amounts were well above lab estimates. That occurred because electric motors were not strong enough to function independently, leading to combustion motors using fossil fuels for nearly one-third of the distance completed in EV mode.

Regulatory and Financial Implications

According to calculations, the lowballing of PHEV emissions allowed several large automaker companies to avoid more than €5bn in penalties between 2021 and 2023, by artificially easing adherence with EU fleet-average CO₂ targets.

Furthermore, owners of PHEVs would pay approximately €500 extra annually in operating costs than would be assumed under lab tests.

“The bold statements that manufacturers often promote about their PHEV cars are clearly way off the mark,” commented a automotive expert. “Buyers are being duped into thinking that by buying a PHEV, they are helping the environment and cutting money. In reality, PHEVs are little improved than standard gas and diesel cars in terms of fuel use, CO₂ emissions, and running costs.”

Policy Discussion and Industry Lobbying

Hybrid cars have recently been drawn back into policy debates as carmakers have pressed the EU to weaken CO₂ standards. A proposed ban on new internal combustion cars in 2035 has faced intense lobbying from the car sector and resistance from member states with significant car manufacturing.

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

One external energy policy expert, who was unaffiliated with the study, called the report a “highly valuable addition” after a long period in which segments of the automotive sector argued there was too little information to properly assess real-world emissions.

“These findings demonstrate, beyond any doubt, that the difference in official and actual PHEV fuel consumption and CO₂ output is much, much larger than for petrol or diesel vehicles,” they said. “Any policy changes regarding PHEVs should be implemented with extreme care and in the light of that data.”