Plug-in Hybrid electric Cars Emit Almost as Heavily as Gasoline Vehicles, Study Reveals

Plug-in hybrid cars produce almost 5x greater global warming pollution than official data indicate, as per a new report.

Growing Discrepancy Between Official and Actual Emissions

Data shows that PHEVs release just one-fifth lower CO₂ than conventional gas and diesel cars, according to research conducted by a advocacy organization. That differs sharply with laboratory tests, which suggested a 75% decrease in pollution.

Analysts studied data from in-vehicle fuel consumption meters of eight hundred thousand vehicles registered in Europe between 2021 and 2023. They discovered that actual CO₂ output from PHEVs in 2023 were 4.9 times greater than lab figures, increased from 3.5 times in 2021.

“Real-world CO2 output are rising, while official figures are decreasing,” stated a senior researcher participating in the report. “That discrepancy is widening and poses a significant issue. As a result, PHEVs pollute nearly as much as gasoline cars.”

Key Reasons Driving the Discrepancy

Researchers attributed the majority of the gap to overestimates of the “electric driving share” – the ratio of kilometers driven in electric mode compared to overall mileage. The team determined that only 27% of travel was completed in electric mode, while official estimates assumed over four-fifths.

Additionally, when operating in EV mode, pollution amounts were significantly higher than official projections. That happened because electric motors were not strong enough to operate alone, resulting to engines using gasoline for almost a third of the distance covered in EV mode.

Policy and Economic Consequences

According to calculations, the lowballing of PHEV emissions allowed four major automaker groups to avoid more than €5bn in penalties from 2021 and 2023, by artificially simplifying adherence with European Union fleet-average CO₂ standards.

Furthermore, owners of PHEVs could pay approximately €500 more per year in operating costs than is estimated under laboratory conditions.

“The bold claims that manufacturers often promote about their plug-in hybrid vehicles are obviously way off the mark,” stated a automotive expert. “Consumers are being duped into thinking that by buying a PHEV, they are helping the environment and cutting costs. In reality, PHEVs are only slightly better than regular gas and diesel vehicles in terms of energy consumption, CO₂ emissions, and running expenses.”

Political Debate and Automotive Pressure

Hybrid cars have recently been brought again into political discussions as automakers have lobbied the European Union to weaken CO₂ targets. A planned ban on sales of new internal combustion cars in 2035 has faced heavy lobbying from the car sector and resistance from EU countries with large car industries.

Several high-level politicians have proposed plug-in hybrids as a potential “flexibility” option to introduce in the regulation.

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

“The results demonstrate, without question, that the gap in lab and real-world PHEV energy use and CO₂ emissions is much, much greater than for petrol or diesel cars,” they stated. “All regulatory adjustments concerning PHEVs should be made with utmost care and considering that evidence.”