Plug-in Hybrid electric Vehicles Emit Almost as Heavily as Petrol Cars, Report Reveals
Plug-in hybrid cars release nearly five times more global warming pollution than lab-reported data indicate, as per a recent analysis.
Widening Discrepancy Between Official and Actual Emissions
Data shows that PHEVs release only one-fifth lower CO2 than conventional petrol and diesel cars, according to analysis conducted by a advocacy group. This differs sharply with lab tests, which suggested a three-quarters decrease in pollution.
Analysts studied data from onboard energy use meters of 800,000 vehicles sold in Europe between 2021 and 2023. The team discovered that actual CO2 output 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 official emissions are decreasing,” said a senior researcher participating in the report. “This discrepancy is growing and creates a serious problem. As a result, PHEVs emit nearly as heavily as petrol cars.”
Primary Reasons Behind the Emissions Gap
Analysts attributed most of the gap to inflated estimates of the “utility factor” – the ratio of miles driven in battery mode compared to overall mileage. The team found that only 27% of travel was completed in EV mode, while official assumptions suggested over four-fifths.
Even, when running in electric mode, pollution levels were significantly higher than lab projections. This happened because EV motors were not strong enough to operate independently, leading to engines burning gasoline for almost one-third of the travel covered in electric mode.
Regulatory and Financial Implications
Based on calculations, the underestimation of PHEV emissions enabled several large carmaker groups to avoid more than €5bn in fines from 2021 and 2023, by artificially simplifying compliance with European Union fleet-average CO2 targets.
Additionally, drivers of PHEVs would spend about €500 extra per year in operating costs than would be assumed under laboratory conditions.
“The strong statements that manufacturers like to make about their plug-in hybrid vehicles are clearly far from the mark,” commented a automotive analyst. “Consumers are being duped into believing that by buying a PHEV, they are helping the planet and cutting money. In reality, PHEVs are only slightly improved than regular petrol and diesel vehicles in terms of energy consumption, CO2 production, and operating costs.”
Policy Debate and Industry Pressure
Plug-in hybrid vehicles have recently been brought again into policy debates as automakers have lobbied the EU to weaken CO2 standards. A planned prohibition on sales of new combustion engine vehicles in 2035 has faced intense pressure from the automotive industry and resistance from EU countries with significant automotive industries.
Several high-level officials have suggested PHEVs as a potential “compromise” option to introduce in the regulation.
An external energy economics specialist, who was unaffiliated with the study, described the analysis a “very useful contribution” after years in which segments of the car industry claimed there was too little information to accurately assess real-world emissions.
“The results demonstrate, without question, that the difference between lab and real-world PHEV energy use and CO2 emissions is significantly greater than for gasoline or conventional vehicles,” the expert stated. “Any regulatory adjustments regarding PHEVs should be implemented with extreme caution and considering this data.”
