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Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles release almost 5x more global warming pollution than official figures indicate, according to a new report.

Widening Discrepancy In Official and Real-World Emissions

Statistics reveals that PHEVs release just 19% less CO₂ than traditional gas and diesel vehicles, according to analysis conducted by a advocacy organization. This differs significantly with lab estimates, which suggested a 75% decrease in pollution.

Analysts examined information from onboard fuel consumption monitors of eight hundred thousand cars sold in Europe between 2021 and 2023. The team found that real-world CO₂ emissions from PHEVs in 2023 were nearly five times higher than lab estimates, up from 3.5 times in 2021.

“Real-world CO2 output are rising, while official emissions are decreasing,” said a lead researcher participating in the report. “This discrepancy is growing and creates a serious problem. Consequently, PHEVs emit almost as heavily as gasoline cars.”

Key Factors Driving the Emissions Gap

Researchers linked the majority of the difference to overestimates of the “utility factor” – the ratio of miles driven in battery mode relative to overall distance. They determined that just 27% of travel was done in electric mode, whereas official assumptions assumed 84%.

Even, when operating in EV mode, pollution amounts were significantly higher than official projections. That occurred because EV motors were not strong enough to operate independently, leading to combustion motors burning gasoline for nearly a third of the travel covered in EV mode.

Policy and Financial Implications

Based on calculations, the lowballing of PHEV CO2 output allowed several large automaker groups to avoid over €5bn in fines from 2021 and 2023, by falsely simplifying compliance with EU average fleet CO₂ targets.

Additionally, owners of PHEVs would pay approximately €500 more per year in operating expenses than is estimated under lab conditions.

“The bold statements that automakers often promote about their plug-in hybrid vehicles are obviously way off the truth,” commented a automotive expert. “Consumers are being duped into thinking that by buying a PHEV, they are benefiting the planet and saving costs. In reality, PHEVs are only slightly improved than standard petrol and diesel vehicles in terms of fuel use, CO₂ emissions, and operating expenses.”

Political Debate and Automotive Lobbying

Hybrid cars have lately been drawn back into policy discussions as carmakers have pressed the EU to weaken CO₂ standards. A planned ban on new combustion engine vehicles in 2035 has faced heavy pressure from the car sector and resistance from EU countries with significant automotive manufacturing.

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

An external energy policy specialist, who was unaffiliated with the study, called the analysis a “very useful addition” after a long period in which segments of the car industry claimed there was too little data to accurately evaluate actual CO2 output.

“These findings demonstrate, without question, that the gap between lab and actual PHEV fuel consumption and CO₂ output is significantly larger than for petrol or diesel cars,” they said. “All policy changes regarding PHEVs should be implemented with extreme care and in the light of this evidence.”