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Plug-in hybrid cars release almost 5x greater global warming emissions than official data show, as per a recent report.

Widening Discrepancy In Official and Actual CO2 Output

Statistics shows that PHEVs release only 19% less CO₂ than conventional gas and diesel vehicles, based on research carried out by a advocacy group. That differs sharply with lab estimates, which assumed a 75% reduction in pollution.

Analysts examined information from in-vehicle fuel consumption meters of 800,000 vehicles sold in the EU between 2021 and 2023. The team discovered that real-world CO₂ emissions from PHEVs in 2023 were nearly five times greater than official estimates, up from three and a half times in 2021.

“Actual CO2 output are increasing, while lab-reported emissions are decreasing,” stated a lead researcher involved in the study. “This discrepancy is growing and creates a significant problem. Consequently, PHEVs emit nearly as much as gasoline vehicles.”

Key Reasons Behind the Discrepancy

Analysts linked the majority of the difference to inflated estimates of the “utility factor” – the percentage of kilometers travelled in electric power compared to overall distance. They found that just 27% of travel was completed in EV mode, while lab assumptions suggested 84%.

Additionally, when running in EV mode, pollution amounts were significantly higher than official estimates. That happened because electric motors were not strong sufficient to function independently, leading to engines using fossil fuels for almost a third of the travel completed in electric mode.

Regulatory and Financial Implications

According to calculations, the underestimation of PHEV CO2 output enabled several large automaker companies to escape more than €5bn in penalties between 2021 and 2023, by falsely simplifying compliance with European Union fleet-average CO₂ targets.

Additionally, owners of PHEVs could pay about €500 extra per year in running expenses than is assumed under laboratory conditions.

“The bold claims that automakers often promote about their plug-in hybrid cars are obviously way off the mark,” stated a automotive expert. “Consumers are being duped into believing that by buying a PHEV, they are benefiting the environment and saving money. Actually, PHEVs are only slightly improved than standard petrol and diesel cars in terms of fuel use, CO₂ emissions, and operating costs.”

Policy Debate and Industry Lobbying

Hybrid vehicles have lately been brought back into policy debates as automakers have lobbied the European Union to relax CO₂ targets. A proposed prohibition on sales of new combustion engine cars in 2035 has faced heavy lobbying from the car industry and opposition from member states with large automotive industries.

Some senior politicians have suggested PHEVs as a possible “flexibility” solution to include in the legislation.

One independent energy economics expert, who was not involved with the study, described the analysis a “highly valuable contribution” after years in which parts of the automotive industry argued there was insufficient information to accurately assess actual emissions.

“These findings show, without question, that the difference in lab and real-world PHEV energy use and CO₂ emissions is much, much greater than for gasoline or diesel cars,” they stated. “All policy changes regarding PHEVs should be implemented with utmost caution and considering this evidence.”