Plug-in Hybrid electric Vehicles Pollute Almost as Much as Petrol Cars, Study Finds

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles release almost five times more planet-heating pollution than official figures indicate, according to a new report.

Growing Discrepancy In Lab and Real-World CO2 Output

Statistics shows that PHEVs release only one-fifth lower CO₂ than traditional petrol and diesel vehicles, according to research carried out by a advocacy group. This contrasts sharply with lab estimates, which suggested a 75% decrease in pollution.

Researchers studied data from in-vehicle energy use meters of 800,000 vehicles sold in Europe between 2021 and 2023. They discovered that actual CO₂ output from PHEVs in 2023 were nearly five times greater than lab figures, up from 3.5 times in 2021.

“Real-world CO2 output are rising, while lab-reported figures are decreasing,” stated a lead analyst involved in the report. “That gap is growing and creates a significant issue. As a result, PHEVs pollute nearly as much as gasoline cars.”

Key Reasons Driving the Emissions Gap

Analysts attributed the majority of the difference to overestimates of the “utility factor” – the percentage of miles travelled in electric power relative to overall distance. The team determined that just a quarter of travel was done in EV mode, whereas lab assumptions assumed over four-fifths.

Even, when running in electric mode, emission amounts were significantly higher than lab projections. This occurred because electric motors were not strong enough to operate alone, resulting to engines burning fossil fuels for almost a third of the travel covered in electric mode.

Regulatory and Economic Consequences

According to calculations, the lowballing of PHEV CO2 output enabled four large carmaker companies to avoid more than €5bn in fines between 2021 and 2023, by falsely easing compliance with European Union fleet-average CO₂ targets.

Furthermore, owners of PHEVs could spend about €500 extra annually in operating costs than is estimated under laboratory conditions.

“The bold statements that manufacturers like to make about their plug-in hybrid vehicles are clearly way off the truth,” commented a automotive analyst. “Buyers are being misled into thinking that by purchasing a PHEV, they are benefiting the planet and saving money. Actually, PHEVs are only slightly better than standard petrol and diesel cars in terms of fuel use, CO₂ production, and operating costs.”

Political Debate and Industry Lobbying

Hybrid cars have lately been drawn back into political debates as automakers have lobbied the European Union to weaken CO₂ targets. A proposed ban on sales of new combustion engine vehicles in 2035 has faced intense pressure from the car industry and opposition from member states with significant car industries.

Several senior officials have suggested PHEVs as a possible “compromise” solution to introduce in the regulation.

One external energy policy specialist, who was not involved with the research, called the report a “highly valuable addition” after a long period in which parts of the automotive sector argued there was insufficient information to accurately assess actual CO2 output.

“The results show, beyond any doubt, that the difference in lab and real-world PHEV fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions is much, much greater than for petrol or diesel vehicles,” the expert said. “All regulatory changes regarding PHEVs should be made with extreme caution and in the light of this evidence.”