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PHEVs produce nearly five times more planet-heating pollution than lab-reported data indicate, according to a recent report.

Growing Gap Between Official and Actual CO2 Output

Data shows that PHEVs release just one-fifth lower CO₂ than conventional gas and diesel cars, according to research carried out by a advocacy organization. That contrasts significantly with laboratory tests, which suggested a three-quarters decrease in emissions.

Analysts examined data from in-vehicle fuel consumption meters of 800,000 vehicles sold in Europe between 2021 and 2023. They discovered that real-world CO₂ output from PHEVs in 2023 were 4.9 times greater than lab figures, up from three and a half times in 2021.

“Real-world CO2 output are increasing, while lab-reported figures are falling,” said a lead researcher involved in the study. “That discrepancy is widening and poses a significant problem. As a result, PHEVs pollute nearly as heavily as gasoline cars.”

Primary Factors Driving the Emissions Gap

Researchers attributed the majority of the gap to inflated estimates of the “utility factor” – the percentage of kilometers driven in electric mode compared to total mileage. The team found that only 27% of travel was done in EV mode, while official estimates assumed 84%.

Even, when operating in EV mode, emission amounts were significantly higher than lab projections. This occurred because EV motors were not strong enough to operate alone, resulting to combustion motors burning fossil fuels for nearly a third of the distance completed in electric mode.

Regulatory and Financial Consequences

According to calculations, the lowballing of PHEV emissions allowed several major automaker groups to escape over €5bn in fines from 2021 and 2023, by falsely easing compliance with EU average fleet CO₂ targets.

Furthermore, drivers of PHEVs would pay about €500 extra per year in running costs than is estimated under lab conditions.

“The bold statements that automakers like to make about their PHEV vehicles are obviously far from the mark,” stated a automotive analyst. “Consumers are being duped into believing that by purchasing a PHEV, they are helping the environment and saving costs. In reality, PHEVs are little improved than standard gas and diesel vehicles in terms of energy use, CO₂ production, and running expenses.”

Policy Discussion and Industry Lobbying

Hybrid cars have lately been brought back into policy discussions as automakers have lobbied the European Union to relax CO₂ standards. A proposed ban on sales of new combustion engine vehicles in 2035 has faced intense lobbying from the car industry and opposition from member states with large car industries.

Several senior officials have proposed PHEVs as a possible “flexibility” option to introduce in the regulation.

One external energy policy specialist, who was not involved with the study, called the analysis a “highly valuable contribution” after a long period in which parts of the car industry argued there was too little information to properly evaluate actual CO2 output.

“These findings demonstrate, without question, that the difference between official and actual PHEV fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions is much, much greater than for petrol or conventional cars,” the expert stated. “Any regulatory changes regarding PHEVs should be made with extreme care and in the light of this data.”