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Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles produce nearly five times greater global warming pollution than official figures indicate, as per a new analysis.

Widening Discrepancy Between Official and Actual CO2 Output

Statistics reveals that PHEVs emit only one-fifth lower CO₂ than conventional petrol and diesel cars, based on research carried out by a non-profit group. This differs sharply with laboratory tests, which assumed a three-quarters reduction in pollution.

Researchers examined information from onboard energy use meters of eight hundred thousand cars registered in Europe from 2021 and 2023. They discovered that real-world CO₂ emissions from PHEVs in 2023 were 4.9 times higher than lab figures, increased from 3.5 times in 2021.

“Real-world emissions are increasing, while lab-reported emissions are decreasing,” stated a lead researcher participating in the report. “That gap is growing and poses a significant issue. Consequently, PHEVs emit almost as heavily as gasoline vehicles.”

Primary Reasons Behind the Discrepancy

Analysts linked the majority of the gap to inflated estimates of the “electric driving share” – the percentage of kilometers driven in electric mode compared to overall distance. They found that only 27% of driving was completed in electric mode, while lab assumptions suggested over four-fifths.

Additionally, when operating in electric mode, emission amounts were well above official projections. This happened because electric motors were insufficiently powerful enough to operate alone, resulting to combustion motors burning gasoline for nearly a third of the travel covered in electric mode.

Regulatory and Financial Consequences

According to calculations, the lowballing of PHEV CO2 output allowed several major automaker companies to avoid over €5bn in fines from 2021 and 2023, by artificially simplifying adherence with European Union average fleet CO₂ targets.

Additionally, owners of PHEVs could pay about €500 more per year in running costs than is assumed under lab tests.

“The strong statements that manufacturers like to make about their plug-in hybrid cars are obviously way off the mark,” stated a automotive expert. “Consumers are being duped into thinking that by purchasing a PHEV, they are helping the planet and cutting money. In reality, PHEVs are little better than regular petrol and diesel vehicles in terms of fuel consumption, CO₂ production, and running expenses.”

Policy Discussion and Automotive Lobbying

Hybrid cars have recently been brought again into policy debates as automakers have pressed the European Union to weaken CO₂ standards. A proposed ban on sales of new internal combustion vehicles in 2035 has faced intense lobbying from the automotive industry and opposition from EU countries with large car industries.

Some high-level politicians have proposed plug-in hybrids as a potential “flexibility” option to include in the regulation.

An independent energy policy specialist, who was not involved with the research, called the analysis a “very useful addition” after a long period in which segments of the car industry claimed there was insufficient information to properly assess real-world emissions.

“These findings show, beyond any doubt, that the gap in official and real-world PHEV energy use and CO₂ output is significantly larger than for petrol or diesel vehicles,” they said. “All policy adjustments regarding PHEVs should be implemented with utmost caution and in the light of that evidence.”