🔗 Share this article Plug in Hybrid Cars Emit Nearly as Much as Petrol Vehicles, Report Reveals Plug-in hybrid cars produce nearly 5x more global warming emissions than official data show, as per a recent report. Widening Discrepancy In Lab and Real-World Emissions Statistics reveals that PHEVs release only 19% less CO2 than conventional petrol and diesel vehicles, according to analysis carried out by a advocacy organization. This differs sharply with lab tests, which assumed a three-quarters reduction in pollution. Researchers studied information from in-vehicle energy use meters of 800,000 vehicles registered in the EU between 2021 and 2023. The team found that real-world CO2 emissions from PHEVs in 2023 were 4.9 times higher than lab figures, increased from 3.5 times in 2021. “Actual CO2 output are increasing, while lab-reported figures are decreasing,” stated a lead researcher involved in the report. “This discrepancy is widening and creates a serious issue. Consequently, PHEVs pollute nearly as much as gasoline vehicles.” Key Factors Behind the Emissions Gap Analysts linked the majority of the difference to overestimates of the “utility factor” – the percentage of kilometers travelled in battery mode compared to total mileage. They found that only 27% of driving was completed in electric mode, whereas lab estimates suggested 84%. Additionally, when running in EV mode, pollution amounts were significantly higher than official projections. That happened because EV motors were not strong enough to function independently, leading to combustion motors burning fossil fuels for nearly a third of the distance completed in EV mode. Regulatory and Economic Consequences Based on estimates, the underestimation of PHEV emissions enabled several large automaker groups to avoid over €5bn in fines from 2021 and 2023, by artificially simplifying adherence with European Union average fleet CO2 standards. Furthermore, owners of PHEVs would spend about €500 more annually in operating expenses than would be estimated under laboratory conditions. “The strong statements that automakers often promote about their plug-in hybrid vehicles are clearly far from the truth,” stated a automotive analyst. “Buyers are being duped into thinking that by buying a PHEV, they are benefiting the planet and saving money. Actually, PHEVs are little improved than standard petrol and diesel vehicles in terms of fuel consumption, CO2 emissions, and running costs.” Political Discussion and Automotive Lobbying Hybrid vehicles have recently been drawn back into policy discussions as carmakers have lobbied the EU to relax CO2 standards. A proposed prohibition on new internal combustion vehicles in 2035 has faced intense lobbying from the automotive sector and opposition from EU countries with significant car manufacturing. Several high-level officials have proposed plug-in hybrids as a potential “flexibility” option to include in the legislation. An independent energy economics expert, who was unaffiliated with the study, described the analysis a “very useful contribution” after a long period in which parts of the car industry claimed there was insufficient information to properly evaluate actual CO2 output. “These findings demonstrate, without question, that the gap in lab and real-world PHEV fuel consumption and CO2 emissions is much, much greater than for gasoline or diesel cars,” the expert said. “Any regulatory changes regarding PHEVs should be implemented with extreme caution and considering that data.”