🔗 Share this article Plug in Hybrid Cars Emit Almost as Much as Gasoline Cars, Report Reveals Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles release almost five times greater planet-heating emissions than official data indicate, as per a recent analysis. Growing Discrepancy In Official and Actual Emissions Statistics shows that PHEVs emit only 19% less CO2 than conventional gas and diesel cars, according to research conducted by a non-profit group. That differs sharply with laboratory tests, which suggested a 75% reduction in emissions. Researchers examined information from in-vehicle fuel consumption monitors of 800,000 cars sold in the EU between 2021 and 2023. They discovered that real-world CO2 output from PHEVs in 2023 were 4.9 times higher than lab figures, up from 3.5 times in 2021. “Real-world CO2 output are increasing, while lab-reported emissions are falling,” said a senior researcher participating in the report. “This discrepancy is widening and poses a significant problem. Consequently, PHEVs emit almost as heavily as gasoline vehicles.” Primary Reasons Behind the Discrepancy Researchers attributed the majority of the gap to overestimates of the “utility factor” – the ratio of kilometers driven in electric mode relative to total distance. The team determined that just 27% of travel was done in EV mode, while official assumptions assumed 84%. Even, when operating in electric mode, pollution amounts were significantly higher than official projections. This occurred because EV motors were insufficiently powerful enough to function alone, resulting to combustion motors using fossil fuels for almost one-third of the travel completed in electric mode. Regulatory and Financial Consequences According to calculations, the lowballing of PHEV emissions enabled several major automaker groups to escape more than €5bn in fines between 2021 and 2023, by falsely simplifying compliance with EU average fleet CO2 standards. Additionally, owners of PHEVs could spend approximately €500 more annually in operating costs than is assumed under laboratory conditions. “The strong statements that manufacturers like to make about their plug-in hybrid vehicles are obviously far from the truth,” commented a automotive analyst. “Buyers are being misled into believing that by purchasing a PHEV, they are helping the environment and saving money. In reality, PHEVs are little better than regular petrol and diesel vehicles in terms of energy consumption, CO2 production, and running costs.” Political Debate and Automotive Pressure Plug-in hybrid cars have recently been brought back into policy debates as automakers have lobbied the EU to relax CO2 targets. A proposed ban on sales of new internal combustion cars in 2035 has faced intense pressure from the car industry and resistance from EU countries with large automotive industries. Some senior politicians have proposed PHEVs as a potential “compromise” option to introduce in the legislation. An independent energy policy specialist, who was unaffiliated with the research, called the report a “very useful contribution” after years in which segments of the automotive industry argued there was too little information to accurately assess real-world CO2 output. “These findings show, beyond any doubt, that the difference between lab and actual PHEV fuel consumption and CO2 emissions is much, much greater than for gasoline or conventional cars,” they said. “All policy adjustments regarding PHEVs should be implemented with utmost care and in the light of this data.”