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PHEVs release nearly five times more planet-heating emissions than official figures show, as per a new report.

Growing Gap Between Lab and Real-World Emissions

Data reveals that PHEVs release just one-fifth lower CO₂ than conventional gas and diesel vehicles, based on analysis carried out by a advocacy organization. That contrasts sharply with lab tests, which assumed a three-quarters decrease in pollution.

Researchers studied information from in-vehicle energy use meters of 800,000 cars sold in Europe between 2021 and 2023. They discovered that real-world CO₂ output from PHEVs in 2023 were nearly five times higher than lab figures, up from 3.5 times in 2021.

“Real-world CO2 output are rising, while official emissions are falling,” stated a lead researcher participating in the report. “That discrepancy is widening and creates a serious problem. Consequently, PHEVs emit nearly as heavily as gasoline vehicles.”

Primary Reasons Behind the Discrepancy

Researchers attributed the majority of the gap to overestimates of the “utility factor” – the percentage of kilometers driven in battery mode relative to total mileage. They found that only a quarter of driving was completed in electric mode, while official estimates assumed 84%.

Additionally, when operating in EV mode, pollution amounts were well above official estimates. This happened because EV motors were insufficiently powerful sufficient to function alone, resulting to combustion motors burning gasoline for nearly a third of the travel completed in EV mode.

Regulatory and Financial Implications

According to estimates, the lowballing of PHEV emissions allowed four large automaker companies to escape over €5bn in penalties from 2021 and 2023, by falsely easing adherence with European Union average fleet CO₂ targets.

Additionally, owners of PHEVs would spend approximately €500 extra per year in operating expenses than is estimated under lab conditions.

“The bold claims that manufacturers like to make about their PHEV cars are clearly way off the truth,” commented a automotive analyst. “Buyers are being duped into thinking that by purchasing a PHEV, they are helping the environment and saving costs. In reality, PHEVs are little better than standard petrol and diesel vehicles in terms of energy use, CO₂ production, and operating expenses.”

Political Discussion and Automotive Lobbying

Plug-in hybrid vehicles have recently been drawn back into political debates as carmakers have pressed the EU to relax CO₂ targets. A planned ban on sales of new internal combustion cars in 2035 has faced intense lobbying from the car industry and resistance from EU countries with significant automotive manufacturing.

Several high-level politicians have proposed PHEVs as a possible “flexibility” option to introduce in the regulation.

One external energy policy expert, who was not involved with the research, called the analysis a “highly valuable contribution” after a long period in which parts of the car industry claimed there was too little information to accurately evaluate actual emissions.

“These findings demonstrate, without question, that the difference between lab and real-world PHEV fuel consumption and CO₂ output is significantly greater than for gasoline or conventional vehicles,” they stated. “Any regulatory adjustments concerning PHEVs should be implemented with extreme caution and in the light of this evidence.”