Plug in Hybrid electric Cars Pollute Almost as Heavily as Petrol Vehicles, Report Finds
Plug-in hybrid cars release almost 5x more planet-heating emissions than official data indicate, according to a recent report.
Widening Discrepancy In Official and Real-World Emissions
Statistics shows that PHEVs emit just 19% lower CO2 than conventional petrol and diesel cars, according to analysis carried out by a non-profit group. This differs significantly with lab estimates, which suggested a three-quarters decrease in emissions.
Researchers studied data from onboard fuel consumption meters of 800,000 cars sold in the EU between 2021 and 2023. The team discovered that real-world CO2 emissions from PHEVs in 2023 were 4.9 times greater than official figures, up from three and a half times in 2021.
“Actual CO2 output are rising, while lab-reported emissions are decreasing,” said a lead analyst participating in the report. “This discrepancy is growing and creates a serious issue. As a result, PHEVs pollute nearly as heavily as gasoline cars.”
Key Reasons Behind the Emissions Gap
Researchers attributed the majority of the gap to inflated estimates of the “electric driving share” – the ratio of miles travelled in battery mode relative to overall mileage. They found that only a quarter of travel was completed in electric mode, while official assumptions suggested 84%.
Even, when running in EV mode, pollution amounts were significantly higher than official estimates. That occurred because EV motors were not strong enough to operate alone, resulting to engines burning fossil fuels for nearly one-third of the distance completed in electric mode.
Policy and Economic Consequences
According to calculations, the underestimation of PHEV CO2 output allowed several major automaker companies to avoid over €5bn in fines from 2021 and 2023, by artificially simplifying compliance with EU fleet-average CO2 targets.
Additionally, owners of PHEVs could spend approximately €500 more annually in operating costs than is assumed under lab conditions.
“The bold statements that automakers like to make about their plug-in hybrid cars are clearly far from the mark,” commented a automotive analyst. “Buyers are being misled into thinking that by buying a PHEV, they are benefiting the environment and saving money. Actually, PHEVs are only slightly improved than regular petrol and diesel vehicles in terms of energy consumption, CO2 emissions, and operating costs.”
Political Discussion and Automotive Lobbying
Hybrid vehicles have lately been brought again into political discussions as automakers have lobbied the European Union to relax CO2 standards. A proposed prohibition on sales of new combustion engine cars in 2035 has faced heavy lobbying from the automotive sector and resistance from member states with significant automotive manufacturing.
Several high-level politicians have suggested PHEVs as a possible “flexibility” option to introduce in the regulation.
One independent energy policy specialist, who was unaffiliated with the study, called the report a “highly valuable addition” after years in which segments of the car industry claimed there was too little data to properly evaluate actual CO2 output.
“The results show, beyond any doubt, that the gap between lab and actual PHEV energy use and CO2 output is significantly larger than for petrol or conventional vehicles,” they stated. “All policy changes regarding PHEVs should be implemented with extreme caution and considering this data.”
