Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles Pollute Almost as Heavily as Petrol Cars, Report Reveals

PHEVs release almost five times greater planet-heating pollution than official data indicate, as per a recent analysis.

Widening Discrepancy Between Official and Actual CO2 Output

Statistics shows that PHEVs emit only one-fifth lower CO₂ than traditional gas and diesel vehicles, based on research conducted by a advocacy organization. This differs significantly with laboratory estimates, which suggested a 75% reduction in emissions.

Analysts studied information from in-vehicle fuel consumption meters of 800,000 cars sold in the EU from 2021 and 2023. They found that real-world CO₂ emissions from PHEVs in 2023 were nearly five times greater than lab figures, increased from three and a half times in 2021.

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

Primary Factors Behind the Discrepancy

Researchers linked the majority of the difference to inflated estimates of the “utility factor” – the ratio of miles travelled in battery mode compared to overall distance. The team determined that just 27% of travel was completed in EV mode, while official estimates assumed 84%.

Additionally, when operating in EV mode, emission amounts were significantly higher than official projections. This occurred because EV motors were not strong sufficient to function independently, resulting to combustion motors burning gasoline for almost one-third of the travel completed in electric mode.

Policy and Financial Implications

Based on calculations, the lowballing of PHEV emissions allowed several major automaker groups to escape more than €5bn in fines from 2021 and 2023, by falsely easing compliance with EU average fleet CO₂ targets.

Additionally, owners of PHEVs could spend about €500 extra per year in operating expenses than would be assumed under laboratory tests.

“The bold claims that manufacturers like to make about their PHEV cars are obviously way off the truth,” commented a transport expert. “Consumers are being misled into thinking that by buying a PHEV, they are benefiting the planet and saving costs. Actually, PHEVs are only slightly improved than standard petrol and diesel cars in terms of energy consumption, CO₂ production, and operating expenses.”

Policy Discussion and Industry Lobbying

Plug-in hybrid vehicles have recently been drawn again into political debates as automakers have lobbied the EU to weaken CO₂ targets. A planned ban on sales of new internal combustion vehicles in 2035 has faced intense lobbying from the car industry and opposition from EU countries with large car manufacturing.

Several senior politicians have suggested plug-in hybrids as a potential “flexibility” option to introduce in the legislation.

An independent energy policy expert, who was not involved with the study, called the analysis a “highly valuable addition” after a long period in which parts of the automotive sector claimed there was too little data to accurately evaluate actual CO2 output.

“The results show, beyond any doubt, that the difference between lab and real-world PHEV fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions is significantly larger than for gasoline or diesel cars,” the expert stated. “Any policy changes concerning PHEVs should be implemented with extreme caution and in the light of this data.”