Plug in Hybrid electric Cars Emit Nearly as Heavily as Petrol Cars, Report Finds

Plug-in hybrid cars produce almost five times more global warming emissions than lab-reported figures show, as per a recent report.

Widening Gap Between Official and Actual CO2 Output

Statistics reveals that PHEVs release only one-fifth lower CO₂ than conventional gas and diesel cars, based on research carried out by a non-profit organization. This contrasts significantly with lab estimates, which suggested a three-quarters decrease in emissions.

Researchers studied data from in-vehicle fuel consumption monitors of eight hundred thousand vehicles sold in the EU between 2021 and 2023. They found that actual CO₂ output from PHEVs in 2023 were nearly five times greater than official figures, increased from three and a half times in 2021.

“Real-world emissions are increasing, while lab-reported figures are decreasing,” stated a lead analyst involved in the study. “This gap is growing and creates a significant issue. As a result, PHEVs emit almost as heavily as petrol cars.”

Key Factors Behind the Discrepancy

Researchers attributed the majority of the gap to inflated estimates of the “electric driving share” – the ratio of kilometers travelled in electric power compared to total mileage. The team determined that just 27% of travel was done in electric mode, whereas official assumptions suggested over four-fifths.

Additionally, when operating in electric mode, pollution levels were significantly higher than official projections. This occurred because EV motors were not strong enough to operate independently, resulting to combustion motors using gasoline for nearly one-third of the travel covered in electric mode.

Policy and Economic Consequences

According to estimates, the lowballing of PHEV emissions enabled four major automaker companies to escape more than €5bn in penalties between 2021 and 2023, by falsely easing adherence with EU average fleet CO₂ standards.

Furthermore, drivers of PHEVs could spend about €500 more per year in running expenses than would be estimated under lab tests.

“The bold claims that automakers like to make about their plug-in hybrid vehicles are clearly way off the mark,” stated a automotive analyst. “Consumers are being misled into believing that by purchasing a PHEV, they are helping the planet and saving money. Actually, PHEVs are only slightly better than standard gas and diesel cars in terms of energy consumption, CO₂ production, and operating costs.”

Political Discussion and Automotive Lobbying

Plug-in hybrid vehicles have lately been brought again into policy discussions as automakers have lobbied the EU to relax CO₂ targets. A proposed prohibition on new combustion engine cars in 2035 has faced intense pressure from the automotive industry and resistance from member states with significant automotive industries.

Several senior politicians have suggested plug-in hybrids as a potential “flexibility” option to introduce in the legislation.

One independent energy policy expert, who was unaffiliated with the study, described the report a “highly valuable addition” after a long period in which parts of the car sector argued there was insufficient information to properly assess actual emissions.

“The results demonstrate, without question, that the difference between lab and real-world PHEV energy use and CO₂ emissions is significantly larger than for gasoline or diesel vehicles,” the expert said. “Any regulatory adjustments concerning PHEVs should be implemented with utmost caution and in the light of that evidence.”