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PHEVs emit nearly 5x more planet-heating emissions than lab-reported data indicate, as per a new report.

Widening Gap Between Lab and Real-World Emissions

Data reveals that PHEVs emit just 19% less CO₂ than traditional petrol and diesel vehicles, based on analysis carried out by a advocacy group. That differs significantly with lab tests, which suggested a 75% decrease in pollution.

Researchers examined data from in-vehicle fuel consumption meters of eight hundred thousand cars registered in Europe between 2021 and 2023. The team found that actual 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 emissions are rising, while official figures are falling,” stated a senior researcher involved in the report. “That gap is widening and creates a serious issue. As a result, PHEVs emit almost as much as gasoline cars.”

Primary Factors Behind the Discrepancy

Researchers attributed most of the gap to inflated estimates of the “utility factor” – the ratio of miles driven in battery mode relative to total distance. The team determined that only 27% of driving was done in EV mode, whereas lab assumptions assumed 84%.

Even, when operating in electric mode, pollution amounts were well above official estimates. This occurred because EV motors were insufficiently powerful sufficient to operate independently, leading to engines burning gasoline for almost one-third of the distance completed in electric mode.

Regulatory and Financial Implications

Based on calculations, the lowballing of PHEV emissions allowed four major automaker companies to escape more than €5bn in fines from 2021 and 2023, by falsely simplifying adherence with European Union fleet-average CO₂ targets.

Additionally, drivers of PHEVs could spend about €500 extra annually in running expenses than would be assumed under lab conditions.

“The bold statements that automakers often promote about their plug-in hybrid vehicles are obviously way off the mark,” commented a automotive expert. “Buyers are being misled into thinking that by purchasing a PHEV, they are helping the planet and cutting costs. In reality, PHEVs are only slightly better than regular petrol and diesel cars in terms of energy consumption, CO₂ emissions, and operating expenses.”

Political Discussion and Automotive Pressure

Plug-in hybrid cars have recently been brought back into political debates as carmakers have pressed the EU to weaken CO₂ targets. A planned prohibition on sales of new internal combustion cars in 2035 has faced heavy pressure from the automotive industry and opposition from member states with large car industries.

Several senior politicians have proposed PHEVs as a potential “compromise” option to introduce in the legislation.

An independent energy policy specialist, who was unaffiliated with the research, described the analysis a “highly valuable contribution” after a long period in which segments of the car sector argued there was too little data to properly assess real-world CO2 output.

“These findings show, without question, that the difference between official and actual PHEV energy use and CO₂ emissions is much, much larger than for gasoline or conventional cars,” they stated. “All policy adjustments concerning PHEVs should be made with extreme care and in the light of this data.”