Plug-in Hybrid electric Cars Emit Nearly as Much as Petrol Cars, Study Finds
Plug-in hybrid cars emit nearly five times greater planet-heating pollution than lab-reported data show, as per a recent analysis.
Widening Discrepancy Between Lab and Actual Emissions
Statistics shows that PHEVs release only 19% less CO2 than conventional petrol and diesel vehicles, based on analysis conducted by a advocacy group. This differs significantly with lab estimates, which suggested a three-quarters reduction in emissions.
Analysts studied information from onboard energy use monitors of eight hundred thousand vehicles registered in Europe between 2021 and 2023. The team discovered that real-world CO2 emissions from PHEVs in 2023 were nearly five times greater than official estimates, increased from 3.5 times in 2021.
“Actual CO2 output are increasing, while lab-reported figures are decreasing,” stated a senior analyst involved in the report. “This discrepancy is widening and creates a significant issue. Consequently, PHEVs emit almost as much as gasoline vehicles.”
Key Factors Driving the Emissions Gap
Analysts attributed the majority of the difference to inflated estimates of the “utility factor” – the ratio of miles driven in battery mode relative to total distance. The team found that only a quarter of travel was completed in EV mode, while lab assumptions assumed over four-fifths.
Additionally, when running in electric mode, pollution amounts were well above lab projections. That happened because EV motors were not strong enough to function alone, leading to engines using fossil fuels for nearly a third of the distance completed in electric mode.
Regulatory and Financial Consequences
According to calculations, the lowballing of PHEV CO2 output enabled four major carmaker companies to escape more than €5bn in penalties from 2021 and 2023, by artificially easing adherence with EU average fleet CO2 standards.
Furthermore, drivers of PHEVs could pay approximately €500 extra annually in operating expenses than would be estimated under lab tests.
“The bold claims that manufacturers often promote about their PHEV cars are clearly far from the mark,” stated a transport analyst. “Consumers are being duped into believing that by purchasing a PHEV, they are helping the planet and saving money. In reality, PHEVs are only slightly better than standard petrol and diesel cars in terms of energy use, CO2 emissions, and operating costs.”
Political Debate and Automotive Pressure
Hybrid vehicles have recently been brought again into policy discussions as carmakers have lobbied the European Union to relax CO2 standards. A proposed prohibition on new internal combustion vehicles in 2035 has faced heavy lobbying from the automotive sector and opposition from EU countries with significant car industries.
Several high-level politicians have proposed PHEVs as a potential “flexibility” solution to include in the regulation.
One independent energy policy expert, who was unaffiliated with the research, called the analysis a “highly valuable addition” after a long period in which parts of the automotive sector argued there was insufficient data to properly evaluate real-world emissions.
“The results show, without question, that the gap between official and real-world PHEV fuel consumption and CO2 output is significantly larger than for petrol or conventional cars,” they stated. “Any regulatory adjustments concerning PHEVs should be implemented with extreme caution and considering that evidence.”
