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PHEVs produce almost 5x more global warming pollution than lab-reported data show, as per a new report.

Widening Gap In Official and Actual Emissions

Data reveals that PHEVs emit just 19% lower CO₂ than conventional gas and diesel vehicles, based on research conducted by a non-profit group. This differs significantly with laboratory tests, which suggested a 75% reduction in emissions.

Researchers examined data from in-vehicle energy use monitors of 800,000 cars sold in Europe from 2021 and 2023. They discovered that actual CO₂ output from PHEVs in 2023 were 4.9 times greater than lab figures, increased from three and a half times in 2021.

“Real-world emissions are rising, while official emissions are falling,” stated a senior analyst involved in the report. “That gap is widening and poses a significant issue. As a result, PHEVs pollute nearly as heavily as gasoline vehicles.”

Primary Reasons Driving the Discrepancy

Researchers attributed most of the gap to inflated estimates of the “utility factor” – the percentage of kilometers travelled in battery mode relative to overall distance. They found that only 27% of travel was done in EV mode, whereas lab estimates suggested over four-fifths.

Even, when running in EV mode, pollution amounts were significantly higher than official estimates. That occurred because EV motors were insufficiently powerful enough to operate alone, leading to engines using fossil fuels for almost one-third of the travel covered in EV mode.

Policy and Financial Implications

Based on calculations, the lowballing of PHEV CO2 output enabled several large automaker companies to escape more than €5bn in fines between 2021 and 2023, by falsely simplifying compliance with European Union average fleet CO₂ standards.

Furthermore, drivers of PHEVs could spend approximately €500 extra annually in operating expenses than would be estimated under lab conditions.

“The strong statements that manufacturers often promote about their PHEV cars are clearly far from the truth,” commented a transport expert. “Buyers are being misled into thinking that by buying a PHEV, they are helping the environment and cutting money. In reality, PHEVs are only slightly better than standard gas and diesel vehicles in terms of fuel use, CO₂ production, and running expenses.”

Political Discussion and Industry Pressure

Hybrid vehicles have lately been drawn back into policy debates as carmakers have lobbied the EU to relax CO₂ targets. A proposed prohibition on new internal combustion cars in 2035 has faced heavy pressure from the car industry and resistance from member states with significant car manufacturing.

Some senior officials have proposed PHEVs as a possible “compromise” solution to include in the legislation.

One independent energy policy specialist, who was unaffiliated with the study, described the analysis a “very useful contribution” after years in which segments of the automotive sector claimed there was insufficient information to properly evaluate actual CO2 output.

“The results demonstrate, without question, that the difference in lab and actual PHEV fuel consumption and CO₂ output is significantly larger than for petrol or diesel cars,” they stated. “All policy adjustments regarding PHEVs should be implemented with extreme caution and considering that data.”