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PHEVs release almost 5x greater global warming pollution than lab-reported figures indicate, according to a new report.

Widening Gap In Lab and Actual CO2 Output

Data reveals that PHEVs emit just one-fifth lower CO₂ than traditional petrol and diesel cars, according to analysis carried out by a advocacy group. This contrasts significantly with lab estimates, which suggested a 75% decrease in pollution.

Analysts studied information from in-vehicle energy use monitors of 800,000 cars registered in the EU from 2021 and 2023. They found that actual CO₂ emissions from PHEVs in 2023 were 4.9 times greater than official figures, up from 3.5 times in 2021.

“Real-world CO2 output are increasing, while lab-reported emissions are falling,” stated a lead analyst involved in the study. “That gap is growing and poses a serious issue. As a result, PHEVs pollute almost as much as petrol vehicles.”

Key Reasons Behind the Emissions Gap

Analysts linked most of the difference to overestimates of the “utility factor” – the percentage of miles travelled in battery mode relative to total mileage. They found that only 27% of travel was completed in EV mode, while official assumptions suggested over four-fifths.

Additionally, when operating in EV mode, emission amounts were well above lab projections. That occurred because electric motors were not strong enough to function alone, resulting to combustion motors using fossil fuels for almost a third of the distance completed in electric mode.

Policy and Financial Consequences

Based on calculations, the underestimation of PHEV emissions enabled four large automaker groups to escape more than €5bn in penalties between 2021 and 2023, by falsely simplifying compliance with EU average fleet CO₂ targets.

Additionally, drivers of PHEVs could spend about €500 extra per year in operating costs than is estimated under lab tests.

“The bold claims that manufacturers like to make about their PHEV cars are obviously way off the truth,” stated a automotive analyst. “Buyers are being misled into thinking that by buying a PHEV, they are helping the environment and saving money. In reality, PHEVs are little improved than standard gas and diesel cars in terms of energy consumption, CO₂ production, and operating costs.”

Policy Discussion and Automotive Pressure

Hybrid cars have lately been brought back into political debates as automakers have lobbied the European Union to weaken CO₂ targets. A planned prohibition on new combustion engine vehicles in 2035 has faced heavy pressure from the car industry and opposition from EU countries with significant car manufacturing.

Some high-level officials have suggested plug-in hybrids as a possible “compromise” solution to introduce in the legislation.

An independent energy policy expert, who was unaffiliated with the study, described the analysis a “highly valuable addition” after a long period in which segments of the automotive industry claimed there was insufficient data to accurately assess real-world emissions.

“The results show, beyond any doubt, that the gap in lab and actual PHEV fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions is significantly larger than for gasoline or conventional cars,” they stated. “All policy adjustments regarding PHEVs should be made with extreme care and considering this data.”