🔗 Share this article Plug-in Hybrid Cars Emit Almost as Heavily as Gasoline Cars, Report Finds Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles emit almost five times more global warming pollution than lab-reported data indicate, according to a recent report. Growing Gap Between Official and Actual CO2 Output Statistics shows that PHEVs emit just 19% lower CO2 than traditional petrol and diesel cars, based on analysis conducted by a non-profit organization. That differs sharply with laboratory estimates, which assumed a three-quarters reduction in pollution. Analysts studied data from onboard energy use meters of 800,000 vehicles sold in the EU between 2021 and 2023. The team found that real-world CO2 output from PHEVs in 2023 were nearly five times greater than lab estimates, up from 3.5 times in 2021. “Real-world emissions are rising, while official figures are decreasing,” said a lead analyst involved in the report. “That discrepancy is widening and poses a significant issue. As a result, PHEVs pollute almost as much as petrol cars.” Key Reasons Driving the Discrepancy Researchers attributed most of the difference to inflated estimates of the “utility factor” – the percentage of kilometers travelled in electric power compared to overall mileage. They found that only a quarter of driving was done in electric mode, whereas official estimates suggested over four-fifths. Even, when running in electric mode, emission levels were significantly higher than official projections. This occurred because EV motors were insufficiently powerful enough to operate alone, resulting to combustion motors burning gasoline for almost one-third of the travel completed in EV mode. Policy and Financial Implications Based on estimates, the underestimation of PHEV emissions allowed four large carmaker companies to escape over €5bn in fines between 2021 and 2023, by falsely easing compliance with EU average fleet CO2 standards. Additionally, drivers of PHEVs could spend about €500 extra annually in operating costs than would be estimated under laboratory tests. “The strong claims that automakers like to make about their PHEV cars are clearly far from the truth,” commented a transport expert. “Consumers are being misled into thinking that by purchasing a PHEV, they are helping the planet and cutting costs. Actually, PHEVs are little better than regular petrol and diesel vehicles in terms of energy consumption, CO2 production, and running expenses.” Policy Debate and Automotive Lobbying Hybrid vehicles have lately been brought again into policy discussions as automakers have pressed the European Union to relax CO2 targets. A proposed prohibition on new internal combustion cars in 2035 has faced heavy lobbying from the car sector and opposition from member states with large automotive industries. Several high-level politicians have proposed plug-in hybrids as a possible “flexibility” solution to include in the legislation. An independent energy policy expert, who was not involved with the study, called the report a “highly valuable addition” after a long period in which parts of the automotive industry claimed there was insufficient information to accurately assess real-world CO2 output. “The results demonstrate, beyond any doubt, that the gap in official and real-world PHEV fuel consumption and CO2 emissions is significantly greater than for gasoline or conventional cars,” they stated. “All regulatory adjustments concerning PHEVs should be made with utmost care and considering that evidence.”