🔗 Share this article

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

Growing Discrepancy In Lab and Real-World CO2 Output

Statistics shows that PHEVs release only 19% less CO₂ than traditional petrol and diesel vehicles, according to research carried out by a non-profit group. That contrasts significantly with laboratory tests, which assumed a three-quarters reduction in pollution.

Analysts examined data from in-vehicle energy use meters of 800,000 vehicles registered in the EU from 2021 and 2023. The team discovered that actual CO₂ emissions from PHEVs in 2023 were 4.9 times greater than official figures, up from three and a half times in 2021.

“Actual CO2 output are rising, while lab-reported emissions are falling,” stated a lead analyst involved in the report. “This gap is widening and creates a significant problem. Consequently, PHEVs pollute almost as much as gasoline cars.”

Key Reasons Behind the Emissions Gap

Analysts attributed most of the difference to inflated estimates of the “utility factor” – the percentage of miles driven in battery power compared to overall distance. The team found that only a quarter of driving was done in EV mode, while lab assumptions assumed 84%.

Additionally, when operating in electric mode, pollution levels were well above official projections. This happened because electric motors were not strong enough to operate independently, resulting to combustion motors using fossil fuels for almost a third of the travel completed in electric mode.

Regulatory and Economic Implications

Based on estimates, the lowballing of PHEV CO2 output enabled four large carmaker companies to avoid over €5bn in fines from 2021 and 2023, by falsely easing adherence with EU fleet-average CO₂ targets.

Furthermore, drivers of PHEVs would pay about €500 more annually in running expenses than would be assumed under lab tests.

“The bold claims that automakers often promote about their PHEV vehicles are clearly way off the truth,” commented a transport analyst. “Consumers are being duped into believing that by purchasing a PHEV, they are helping the environment and saving costs. In reality, PHEVs are only slightly better than regular petrol and diesel cars in terms of energy use, CO₂ emissions, and operating expenses.”

Political Discussion and Automotive Pressure

Hybrid vehicles have lately been brought again into political debates as carmakers have pressed the European Union to weaken CO₂ standards. A proposed ban on sales of new combustion engine vehicles in 2035 has faced heavy lobbying from the automotive sector and opposition from member states with significant car manufacturing.

Some high-level officials have proposed PHEVs as a potential “compromise” solution to introduce in the legislation.

One external energy policy specialist, who was unaffiliated with the research, described the analysis a “highly valuable contribution” after years in which segments of the car sector claimed there was too little information to properly evaluate real-world emissions.

“These findings show, without question, that the difference between official and actual PHEV fuel consumption and CO₂ output is significantly greater than for petrol or conventional cars,” the expert stated. “All regulatory changes regarding PHEVs should be made with utmost care and in the light of this data.”