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PHEVs emit nearly 5x more planet-heating pollution than official figures show, as per a recent report.

Widening Discrepancy In Official and Actual CO2 Output

Data reveals that PHEVs emit just one-fifth less CO₂ than traditional petrol and diesel vehicles, based on research conducted by a non-profit organization. This contrasts sharply with lab estimates, which suggested a 75% decrease in pollution.

Researchers examined data from onboard fuel consumption meters of 800,000 vehicles registered in the EU between 2021 and 2023. The team discovered that real-world CO₂ emissions from PHEVs in 2023 were nearly five times higher than official figures, up from 3.5 times in 2021.

“Actual CO2 output are rising, while lab-reported figures are falling,” said a lead researcher involved in the study. “This discrepancy is widening and creates a significant issue. Consequently, PHEVs pollute almost as heavily as gasoline cars.”

Primary Factors Driving the Discrepancy

Researchers linked the majority of the gap to overestimates of the “utility factor” – the ratio of kilometers travelled in battery mode compared to total mileage. The team determined that only a quarter of driving was completed in electric mode, while lab estimates suggested over four-fifths.

Even, when operating in EV mode, emission levels were well above official estimates. That occurred because EV motors were insufficiently powerful enough to operate independently, leading to engines burning gasoline for almost a third of the distance covered in electric mode.

Policy and Economic Consequences

According to estimates, the underestimation of PHEV emissions enabled four large automaker groups to avoid more than €5bn in fines from 2021 and 2023, by falsely simplifying adherence with European Union average fleet CO₂ standards.

Additionally, owners of PHEVs would pay approximately €500 more annually in running expenses than is estimated under laboratory conditions.

“The bold statements that automakers often promote about their PHEV cars are clearly far from the mark,” stated a transport expert. “Consumers are being duped into thinking that by buying a PHEV, they are benefiting the planet and saving money. In reality, PHEVs are little better than standard petrol and diesel cars in terms of fuel consumption, CO₂ emissions, and running expenses.”

Political Debate and Automotive Lobbying

Hybrid vehicles have lately been brought again into political debates as carmakers have pressed the European Union to weaken CO₂ standards. A planned prohibition on sales of new combustion engine cars in 2035 has faced intense lobbying from the automotive sector and opposition from EU countries with significant car industries.

Some high-level officials have proposed PHEVs as a potential “flexibility” solution to introduce in the regulation.

An external energy economics specialist, who was unaffiliated with the research, called the report a “highly valuable contribution” after years in which segments of the car industry claimed there was too little data to properly evaluate actual CO2 output.

“These findings show, beyond any doubt, that the gap between official and actual PHEV fuel consumption and CO₂ output is significantly greater than for gasoline or diesel vehicles,” the expert stated. “Any regulatory changes regarding PHEVs should be made with extreme caution and in the light of that data.”