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PHEVs emit almost five times greater planet-heating pollution than lab-reported figures indicate, as per a recent report.

Growing Discrepancy Between Lab and Actual CO2 Output

Statistics shows that PHEVs release only 19% lower CO₂ than conventional petrol and diesel cars, according to research conducted by a non-profit group. This differs sharply with laboratory estimates, which assumed a 75% reduction in emissions.

Analysts examined data from onboard energy use monitors of 800,000 vehicles sold in the EU between 2021 and 2023. They discovered that actual CO₂ emissions from PHEVs in 2023 were nearly five times greater than official figures, up from three and a half times in 2021.

“Actual emissions are increasing, while official figures are falling,” stated a senior analyst participating in the report. “This gap is growing and creates a significant problem. Consequently, PHEVs pollute almost as much as petrol cars.”

Key Factors Driving the Emissions Gap

Analysts linked most of the gap to inflated estimates of the “utility factor” – the ratio of miles travelled in battery power compared to overall mileage. They found that only a quarter of travel was completed in electric mode, whereas lab estimates suggested 84%.

Even, when operating in electric mode, pollution amounts were significantly higher than official projections. This happened because electric motors were insufficiently powerful enough to function alone, leading to combustion motors burning gasoline for almost a third of the travel completed in electric mode.

Policy and Financial Implications

Based on estimates, the lowballing of PHEV CO2 output enabled four major automaker companies to avoid more than €5bn in penalties between 2021 and 2023, by falsely easing compliance with European Union fleet-average CO₂ targets.

Furthermore, owners of PHEVs could pay approximately €500 extra per year in running expenses than would be estimated under lab tests.

“The bold claims that manufacturers like to make about their PHEV cars are clearly far from the mark,” stated a automotive expert. “Buyers are being misled into believing that by purchasing a PHEV, they are helping the planet and cutting costs. In reality, PHEVs are only slightly improved than standard petrol and diesel vehicles in terms of energy use, CO₂ emissions, and running expenses.”

Policy Discussion and Industry Lobbying

Plug-in hybrid vehicles have lately been brought again into policy discussions as automakers have pressed the European Union to relax CO₂ standards. A proposed ban on new internal combustion vehicles in 2035 has faced intense lobbying from the automotive industry and opposition from member states with large car manufacturing.

Some high-level officials have proposed PHEVs as a potential “flexibility” option to include in the legislation.

An independent energy policy expert, who was not involved with the study, called the analysis a “very useful addition” after years in which segments of the car sector argued there was insufficient information to accurately assess actual CO2 output.

“These findings demonstrate, beyond any doubt, that the difference in lab and real-world PHEV energy use and CO₂ output is much, much larger than for petrol or conventional vehicles,” the expert stated. “Any policy changes concerning PHEVs should be implemented with extreme care and in the light of this evidence.”