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PHEVs produce nearly five times greater planet-heating emissions than official figures indicate, according to a recent analysis.

Growing Discrepancy In Lab and Actual Emissions

Statistics shows that PHEVs emit just 19% lower CO₂ than conventional petrol and diesel cars, based on analysis carried out by a advocacy organization. This differs significantly with lab estimates, which suggested a three-quarters reduction in pollution.

Researchers examined information from in-vehicle fuel consumption meters of eight hundred thousand vehicles sold in Europe from 2021 and 2023. They found that actual CO₂ emissions from PHEVs in 2023 were 4.9 times higher than official estimates, up from three and a half times in 2021.

“Actual CO2 output are increasing, while official figures are falling,” stated a senior researcher participating in the study. “This discrepancy is widening and creates a significant problem. Consequently, PHEVs emit nearly as much as petrol vehicles.”

Primary Reasons Behind the Discrepancy

Analysts attributed the majority of the gap to inflated estimates of the “electric driving share” – the percentage of kilometers travelled in electric power relative to total mileage. The team determined that just a quarter of travel was done in EV mode, while official assumptions suggested 84%.

Even, when running in EV mode, emission amounts were well above lab estimates. This happened because electric motors were not strong enough to function alone, leading to engines burning gasoline for almost one-third of the travel covered in electric mode.

Policy and Financial Implications

According to calculations, the lowballing of PHEV CO2 output allowed four major carmaker groups to avoid more than €5bn in penalties from 2021 and 2023, by falsely easing adherence with EU average fleet CO₂ targets.

Additionally, drivers of PHEVs could spend about €500 more annually in operating costs than would be estimated under laboratory conditions.

“The strong statements that manufacturers often promote about their PHEV vehicles are clearly way off the mark,” commented a transport expert. “Buyers are being duped into thinking that by purchasing a PHEV, they are helping the environment and saving costs. In reality, PHEVs are little improved than standard gas and diesel vehicles in terms of fuel consumption, CO₂ emissions, and operating expenses.”

Political Debate and Automotive Pressure

Hybrid vehicles have recently been brought again into policy discussions as automakers have lobbied the European Union to relax CO₂ standards. A planned ban on new combustion engine cars in 2035 has faced intense lobbying from the automotive industry and resistance from member states with large automotive industries.

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

An independent energy economics specialist, who was unaffiliated with the study, described the report a “highly valuable addition” after a long period in which segments of the automotive industry argued there was insufficient data to accurately evaluate actual emissions.

“These findings show, beyond any doubt, that the gap between official and actual PHEV fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions is significantly greater than for petrol or diesel vehicles,” they said. “All policy adjustments concerning PHEVs should be implemented with utmost care and considering this data.”