🔗 Share this article

PHEVs produce nearly five times more global warming pollution than official data indicate, as per a recent report.

Growing Discrepancy Between Official and Actual Emissions

Statistics shows that PHEVs emit just one-fifth less CO₂ than conventional petrol and diesel vehicles, according to research conducted by a non-profit group. That contrasts sharply with lab tests, which assumed a three-quarters reduction in pollution.

Analysts examined data from in-vehicle fuel consumption meters of 800,000 cars sold in Europe from 2021 and 2023. They discovered that actual CO₂ emissions from PHEVs in 2023 were nearly five times higher than official estimates, increased from three and a half times in 2021.

“Actual CO2 output are rising, while official figures are decreasing,” stated a senior researcher involved in the report. “This gap is growing and creates a serious issue. Consequently, PHEVs emit almost as heavily as gasoline vehicles.”

Primary Factors Driving the Emissions Gap

Analysts linked the majority of the difference to overestimates of the “utility factor” – the ratio of miles driven in electric power compared to total mileage. The team determined that just 27% of driving was completed in electric mode, while official estimates suggested over four-fifths.

Additionally, when running in EV mode, emission amounts were well above lab estimates. That happened because EV motors were insufficiently powerful sufficient to operate alone, leading to engines burning fossil fuels for almost one-third of the distance covered in electric mode.

Policy and Economic Consequences

Based on estimates, the lowballing of PHEV CO2 output allowed several major automaker groups to escape over €5bn in fines from 2021 and 2023, by artificially simplifying adherence with European Union average fleet CO₂ standards.

Furthermore, owners of PHEVs would pay approximately €500 extra per year in operating expenses than would be estimated under laboratory tests.

“The bold statements that manufacturers like to make about their PHEV vehicles are clearly far from the mark,” commented a automotive analyst. “Buyers are being misled into believing that by buying a PHEV, they are benefiting the planet and cutting costs. Actually, PHEVs are little improved than regular petrol and diesel vehicles in terms of energy consumption, CO₂ emissions, and running costs.”

Political Discussion and Industry Pressure

Hybrid vehicles have lately been drawn again into policy discussions as automakers have pressed the EU to weaken CO₂ standards. A planned prohibition on new combustion engine vehicles in 2035 has faced intense pressure from the automotive industry and resistance from member states with large automotive manufacturing.

Some high-level politicians have suggested plug-in hybrids as a potential “flexibility” option to include in the regulation.

One independent energy policy specialist, who was unaffiliated with the research, described the analysis a “very useful contribution” after a long period in which parts of the car industry claimed there was insufficient data to properly evaluate actual CO2 output.

“These findings demonstrate, beyond any doubt, that the difference in lab and real-world PHEV fuel consumption and CO₂ output is much, much larger than for petrol or conventional vehicles,” they stated. “All regulatory adjustments concerning PHEVs should be implemented with utmost care and in the light of this data.”