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PHEVs produce nearly 5x greater global warming emissions than official data show, as per a recent report.

Growing Gap In Lab and Real-World Emissions

Data shows that PHEVs emit only 19% lower CO₂ than traditional gas and diesel cars, based on research conducted by a advocacy group. That differs sharply with lab tests, which assumed a three-quarters reduction in pollution.

Researchers examined information from onboard energy use meters of eight hundred thousand vehicles sold in the EU between 2021 and 2023. The team discovered that real-world CO₂ output from PHEVs in 2023 were 4.9 times greater than lab figures, increased from 3.5 times in 2021.

“Actual CO2 output are increasing, while official emissions are falling,” stated a lead analyst involved in the study. “That discrepancy is widening and poses a significant problem. Consequently, PHEVs pollute almost as much as gasoline vehicles.”

Primary Factors Behind the Discrepancy

Analysts linked most of the gap to inflated estimates of the “utility factor” – the ratio of miles driven in electric power compared to overall mileage. They determined that only a quarter of driving was done in electric mode, while lab assumptions suggested 84%.

Additionally, when running in EV mode, pollution levels were well above lab estimates. That happened because electric motors were insufficiently powerful enough to function independently, leading to engines burning fossil fuels for nearly one-third of the travel completed in electric mode.

Regulatory and Financial Implications

According to calculations, the underestimation of PHEV emissions allowed four major carmaker groups to escape more than €5bn in penalties from 2021 and 2023, by artificially easing compliance with EU fleet-average CO₂ standards.

Additionally, owners of PHEVs would pay about €500 extra annually in operating expenses than would be assumed under laboratory tests.

“The bold claims that manufacturers like to make about their PHEV vehicles are obviously far from the mark,” commented a automotive expert. “Consumers are being misled into thinking that by purchasing a PHEV, they are benefiting the planet and cutting costs. In reality, PHEVs are only slightly improved than standard gas and diesel cars in terms of fuel consumption, CO₂ emissions, and operating expenses.”

Political Debate and Automotive Lobbying

Hybrid vehicles have lately been brought back into political debates as automakers have lobbied the European Union to weaken CO₂ targets. A proposed ban on new combustion engine vehicles in 2035 has faced heavy pressure from the automotive industry and opposition from member states with large car manufacturing.

Some high-level politicians have proposed PHEVs as a potential “flexibility” solution to include in the legislation.

One independent energy policy specialist, who was not involved with the research, called the analysis a “highly valuable addition” after a long period in which parts of the car sector claimed there was too little data to accurately assess real-world CO2 output.

“These findings demonstrate, beyond any doubt, that the difference in official and actual PHEV energy use and CO₂ output is significantly larger than for gasoline or conventional cars,” they said. “Any regulatory changes concerning PHEVs should be made with extreme care and considering this evidence.”