🔗 Share this article

Plug-in hybrid cars emit almost 5x greater planet-heating emissions than official data show, as per a recent report.

Widening Gap In Official and Actual Emissions

Data reveals that PHEVs release just 19% lower CO₂ than traditional petrol and diesel cars, based on research carried out by a non-profit organization. That differs significantly with lab estimates, which assumed a 75% reduction in pollution.

Analysts examined information from in-vehicle energy use meters of eight hundred thousand cars sold in Europe from 2021 and 2023. They discovered that real-world CO₂ emissions from PHEVs in 2023 were nearly five times higher than official estimates, increased from 3.5 times in 2021.

“Real-world emissions are increasing, while lab-reported emissions are falling,” stated a senior analyst participating in the study. “That discrepancy is growing and creates a serious issue. As a result, PHEVs emit almost as much as gasoline cars.”

Key Factors Behind the Emissions Gap

Analysts linked the majority of the difference to overestimates of the “electric driving share” – the percentage of miles travelled in battery power relative to total distance. They found that just 27% of driving was completed in electric mode, while official assumptions suggested over four-fifths.

Additionally, when operating in electric mode, emission amounts were well above official projections. This happened because EV motors were not strong enough to function independently, resulting to engines burning gasoline for nearly a third of the travel covered in EV mode.

Policy and Financial Consequences

Based on estimates, the underestimation of PHEV emissions allowed four major automaker companies to escape over €5bn in penalties between 2021 and 2023, by artificially simplifying compliance with EU fleet-average CO₂ targets.

Furthermore, owners of PHEVs would spend approximately €500 extra per year in operating costs than would be estimated under laboratory conditions.

“The strong claims that automakers often promote about their PHEV cars are obviously way off the mark,” commented a automotive analyst. “Buyers are being misled into believing that by buying a PHEV, they are helping the planet and cutting money. In reality, PHEVs are little improved than standard gas and diesel cars in terms of fuel consumption, CO₂ emissions, and running costs.”

Policy Debate and Industry Lobbying

Hybrid cars have lately been brought again into political discussions as carmakers have lobbied the European Union to weaken CO₂ targets. A proposed ban on new internal combustion cars in 2035 has faced heavy lobbying from the automotive industry and opposition from member states with large automotive manufacturing.

Some senior officials have suggested plug-in hybrids as a possible “flexibility” solution to introduce in the regulation.

One independent energy policy expert, who was not involved with the study, called the analysis a “very useful contribution” after years in which segments of the car sector argued there was too little data to properly assess actual CO2 output.

“These findings demonstrate, without question, that the difference between official and real-world PHEV energy use and CO₂ output is significantly larger than for gasoline or diesel cars,” the expert said. “All policy adjustments concerning PHEVs should be made with utmost care and in the light of this evidence.”