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PHEVs emit almost five times more global warming pollution than official figures show, according to a recent analysis.

Widening Gap Between Official and Actual CO2 Output

Statistics reveals that PHEVs release only one-fifth lower CO₂ than conventional petrol and diesel cars, according to research carried out by a non-profit group. This contrasts sharply with lab tests, which suggested a three-quarters reduction in emissions.

Analysts examined information from onboard fuel consumption meters of eight hundred thousand vehicles sold in the EU from 2021 and 2023. The team discovered that actual CO₂ emissions from PHEVs in 2023 were 4.9 times greater than official figures, increased from three and a half times in 2021.

“Real-world emissions are increasing, while official figures are falling,” said a lead analyst involved in the report. “That discrepancy is growing and creates a serious problem. As a result, PHEVs pollute almost as much as petrol vehicles.”

Primary Reasons Behind the Discrepancy

Researchers linked the majority of the gap to overestimates of the “electric driving share” – the percentage of kilometers travelled in battery power compared to overall mileage. The team found that only 27% of travel was completed in EV mode, while lab assumptions assumed over four-fifths.

Even, when running in EV mode, emission levels were significantly higher than official projections. This happened because EV motors were not strong sufficient to function alone, leading to combustion motors using gasoline for almost one-third of the distance completed in EV mode.

Regulatory and Economic Consequences

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

Furthermore, owners of PHEVs would pay about €500 more per year in running costs than is assumed under laboratory tests.

“The bold claims that manufacturers often promote about their plug-in hybrid cars are obviously far from the mark,” commented a transport expert. “Consumers are being duped into believing that by purchasing a PHEV, they are benefiting the planet and saving money. In reality, PHEVs are little better than standard petrol and diesel vehicles in terms of energy use, CO₂ emissions, and operating expenses.”

Political Discussion and Automotive Lobbying

Hybrid cars have recently been brought back into policy debates as automakers have lobbied the EU to relax CO₂ targets. A planned ban on sales of new combustion engine vehicles in 2035 has faced intense lobbying from the car sector and resistance from EU countries with significant automotive manufacturing.

Some senior officials have suggested plug-in hybrids as a potential “compromise” solution to include in the regulation.

An independent energy policy expert, who was not involved with the research, called the analysis a “highly valuable addition” after years in which parts of the automotive industry argued there was too little data to accurately evaluate actual emissions.

“The results demonstrate, without question, that the gap between lab and actual PHEV energy use and CO₂ output is significantly larger than for gasoline or conventional vehicles,” the expert said. “Any policy changes regarding PHEVs should be made with utmost caution and considering this evidence.”