🔗 Share this article

PHEVs release almost 5x more global warming pollution than lab-reported data indicate, as per a recent analysis.

Widening Discrepancy In Official and Real-World Emissions

Data reveals that PHEVs emit only one-fifth lower CO₂ than traditional gas and diesel cars, based on research carried out by a non-profit organization. This contrasts significantly with laboratory tests, which suggested a 75% decrease in emissions.

Researchers examined information from onboard fuel consumption meters of eight hundred thousand vehicles registered in the EU between 2021 and 2023. The team discovered that actual CO₂ emissions from PHEVs in 2023 were 4.9 times higher than official figures, increased from 3.5 times in 2021.

“Real-world emissions are increasing, while official figures are decreasing,” said a lead analyst involved in the report. “This discrepancy is widening and creates a significant issue. Consequently, PHEVs emit almost as heavily as petrol vehicles.”

Key Factors Behind the Discrepancy

Analysts attributed most of the difference to inflated estimates of the “utility factor” – the ratio of miles travelled in battery power relative to total mileage. The team determined that only 27% of travel was done in electric mode, while official assumptions suggested over four-fifths.

Additionally, when running in EV mode, emission amounts were significantly higher than official estimates. That happened because EV motors were insufficiently powerful sufficient to function alone, resulting to combustion motors using gasoline for nearly one-third of the travel completed in EV mode.

Policy and Economic Implications

Based on calculations, the lowballing of PHEV CO2 output enabled several large automaker groups to avoid more than €5bn in fines between 2021 and 2023, by falsely easing adherence with EU average fleet CO₂ standards.

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

“The bold claims that automakers like to make about their PHEV vehicles are clearly far from the truth,” commented a transport expert. “Consumers are being misled into thinking that by purchasing a PHEV, they are benefiting the environment and cutting costs. In reality, PHEVs are little improved than regular gas and diesel cars in terms of energy use, CO₂ emissions, and running expenses.”

Political Debate and Industry Lobbying

Hybrid vehicles have lately been brought again into policy debates as carmakers have pressed the EU to weaken CO₂ targets. A proposed prohibition on sales of new combustion engine vehicles in 2035 has faced intense pressure from the automotive industry and resistance from EU countries with significant automotive industries.

Several senior officials have suggested PHEVs as a potential “flexibility” solution to introduce in the regulation.

One external energy economics specialist, who was not involved with the research, called the analysis a “highly valuable addition” after years in which parts of the car sector argued there was insufficient data to properly assess actual emissions.

“These findings demonstrate, beyond any doubt, that the difference between official and real-world PHEV energy use and CO₂ emissions is much, much larger than for gasoline or conventional cars,” the expert said. “All regulatory changes concerning PHEVs should be implemented with utmost care and considering this data.”