Plug-in Hybrid Cars Pollute Nearly as Heavily as Petrol Cars, Report Finds

PHEVs release nearly five times more global warming emissions than lab-reported figures show, according to a recent report.

Growing Discrepancy In Official and Actual CO2 Output

Data shows that PHEVs emit only 19% less CO₂ than traditional gas and diesel vehicles, based on research conducted by a non-profit group. This contrasts significantly with laboratory tests, which suggested a 75% decrease in pollution.

Researchers studied information from onboard fuel consumption meters of 800,000 vehicles sold in Europe between 2021 and 2023. The team found that actual CO₂ emissions from PHEVs in 2023 were 4.9 times greater than lab estimates, up from 3.5 times in 2021.

“Actual CO2 output are rising, while official emissions are falling,” stated a senior analyst participating in the report. “This gap is widening and poses a serious problem. As a result, PHEVs emit nearly as heavily as petrol cars.”

Key Factors Behind the Emissions Gap

Analysts linked the majority of the gap to overestimates of the “electric driving share” – the percentage of kilometers driven in electric power compared to total mileage. They determined that only a quarter of driving was completed in EV mode, while official estimates suggested 84%.

Even, when operating in electric mode, pollution levels were well above official projections. That occurred because electric motors were insufficiently powerful enough to function independently, leading to combustion motors using gasoline for almost one-third of the travel covered in electric mode.

Regulatory and Economic Consequences

According to calculations, the lowballing of PHEV CO2 output enabled four large automaker companies to escape more than €5bn in fines from 2021 and 2023, by falsely easing adherence with EU fleet-average CO₂ standards.

Furthermore, drivers of PHEVs would pay approximately €500 more per year in running costs than is assumed under lab tests.

“The bold claims that manufacturers often promote about their PHEV cars are obviously far from the mark,” commented a transport expert. “Buyers are being duped into believing that by purchasing a PHEV, they are helping the environment and saving costs. Actually, PHEVs are only slightly improved than regular gas and diesel cars in terms of fuel use, CO₂ production, and operating expenses.”

Political Discussion and Industry Pressure

Hybrid vehicles have lately been drawn again into policy discussions as carmakers have pressed the European Union to weaken CO₂ standards. A planned ban on sales of new internal combustion vehicles in 2035 has faced heavy lobbying from the car sector and opposition from EU countries with large automotive industries.

Several high-level politicians have suggested plug-in hybrids as a potential “compromise” solution to include in the regulation.

An external energy policy expert, who was unaffiliated with the study, described the analysis a “highly valuable contribution” after years in which segments of the car industry argued there was insufficient data to accurately assess actual CO2 output.

“These findings demonstrate, beyond any doubt, that the difference between official and real-world PHEV energy use and CO₂ output is significantly greater than for petrol or conventional vehicles,” the expert stated. “All policy adjustments concerning PHEVs should be implemented with utmost care and in the light of that evidence.”