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PHEVs release nearly five times greater planet-heating emissions than lab-reported figures indicate, as per a recent analysis.

Widening Discrepancy In Official and Actual CO2 Output

Data reveals that PHEVs release just one-fifth lower CO₂ than conventional petrol and diesel vehicles, according to analysis conducted by a non-profit group. That differs significantly with laboratory tests, which suggested a 75% decrease in emissions.

Analysts studied information from in-vehicle energy use monitors of eight hundred thousand cars sold in Europe between 2021 and 2023. The team discovered that real-world CO₂ emissions from PHEVs in 2023 were nearly five times higher than lab figures, increased from 3.5 times in 2021.

“Real-world CO2 output are increasing, while lab-reported emissions are falling,” stated a lead researcher participating in the report. “That gap is growing and creates a significant problem. Consequently, PHEVs emit nearly as heavily as petrol vehicles.”

Primary Reasons Driving the Discrepancy

Analysts attributed the majority of the difference to inflated estimates of the “electric driving share” – the ratio of kilometers driven in battery power relative to total distance. The team determined that only 27% of travel was done in electric mode, whereas lab estimates suggested 84%.

Even, when operating in electric mode, emission levels were well above official projections. That occurred because EV motors were not strong enough to operate independently, leading to combustion motors using fossil fuels for nearly a third of the travel completed in electric mode.

Regulatory and Economic Consequences

According to calculations, the lowballing of PHEV emissions enabled several major carmaker companies to escape over €5bn in fines between 2021 and 2023, by artificially easing compliance with European Union average fleet CO₂ standards.

Furthermore, owners of PHEVs could pay about €500 extra per year in operating costs than is estimated under laboratory tests.

“The strong statements that manufacturers often promote about their plug-in hybrid cars are clearly far from the mark,” commented a automotive expert. “Buyers are being duped into thinking that by buying a PHEV, they are benefiting the planet and saving costs. In reality, PHEVs are little improved than regular gas and diesel cars in terms of fuel consumption, CO₂ emissions, and operating expenses.”

Political Debate and Industry Lobbying

Plug-in hybrid vehicles have recently been drawn back into political debates as carmakers have lobbied the European Union to weaken CO₂ targets. A proposed ban on sales of new combustion engine vehicles in 2035 has faced heavy lobbying from the automotive industry and opposition from member states with large automotive industries.

Some senior officials have proposed PHEVs as a possible “compromise” option to introduce in the legislation.

One independent energy economics specialist, who was unaffiliated with the research, described the report a “very useful addition” after years in which parts of the automotive industry claimed there was insufficient information to properly assess actual CO2 output.

“The results demonstrate, without question, that the difference in lab and real-world PHEV fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions is significantly larger than for petrol or diesel cars,” the expert stated. “Any policy changes concerning PHEVs should be implemented with extreme caution and in the light of this evidence.”