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PHEVs emit nearly five times more global warming emissions than lab-reported data indicate, according to a recent report.

Growing Discrepancy In Lab and Real-World CO2 Output

Statistics shows that PHEVs emit just 19% less CO₂ than conventional gas and diesel cars, according to analysis conducted by a advocacy group. This differs significantly with laboratory estimates, which assumed a three-quarters reduction in emissions.

Researchers studied data from in-vehicle fuel consumption meters of eight hundred thousand cars sold in Europe between 2021 and 2023. The team found that actual CO₂ output 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 researcher participating in the report. “That discrepancy is widening and poses a serious problem. As a result, PHEVs emit nearly as heavily as gasoline cars.”

Key Factors Behind the Emissions Gap

Analysts attributed the majority of the gap to overestimates of the “electric driving share” – the percentage of kilometers travelled in electric mode compared to overall mileage. They found that just 27% of travel was done in EV mode, whereas official assumptions assumed 84%.

Even, when running in electric mode, emission amounts were well above official estimates. That happened because EV motors were insufficiently powerful sufficient to operate alone, leading to engines using gasoline for almost one-third of the travel completed in EV mode.

Regulatory and Economic Consequences

According to estimates, the lowballing of PHEV emissions enabled several large automaker companies to avoid more than €5bn in fines from 2021 and 2023, by falsely easing adherence with EU fleet-average CO₂ standards.

Additionally, owners of PHEVs would spend approximately €500 more per year in operating costs than is assumed under laboratory conditions.

“The strong claims that automakers like to make about their plug-in hybrid cars are clearly far from the truth,” commented a automotive expert. “Buyers are being misled into believing that by buying a PHEV, they are helping the environment and saving money. Actually, PHEVs are little improved than standard gas and diesel cars in terms of energy consumption, CO₂ production, and running expenses.”

Political Debate and Industry Pressure

Hybrid cars have recently been drawn back into political debates as automakers have lobbied the European Union to relax CO₂ standards. A planned prohibition on sales of new combustion engine vehicles in 2035 has faced heavy pressure from the car industry and opposition from member states with significant car manufacturing.

Several high-level officials have proposed PHEVs as a potential “flexibility” solution to introduce in the regulation.

One independent energy economics expert, who was unaffiliated with the study, called the report a “highly valuable addition” after a long period in which segments of the automotive sector argued there was too little information to properly evaluate real-world CO2 output.

“The results demonstrate, without question, that the difference in lab and actual PHEV fuel consumption and CO₂ output is significantly greater than for gasoline or conventional cars,” they stated. “Any regulatory adjustments concerning PHEVs should be implemented with utmost care and considering that evidence.”