Plug in Hybrid Vehicles Emit Nearly as Much as Petrol Cars, Report Reveals
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles produce nearly 5x more global warming pollution than official figures indicate, according to a new analysis.
Widening Discrepancy In Official and Real-World Emissions
Data reveals that PHEVs emit just 19% lower CO2 than conventional petrol and diesel vehicles, according to analysis carried out by a advocacy organization. That contrasts significantly with lab estimates, which suggested a 75% reduction in emissions.
Analysts examined information from onboard fuel consumption meters of 800,000 cars registered in Europe from 2021 and 2023. The team found that real-world CO2 output from PHEVs in 2023 were nearly five times greater than official figures, increased from 3.5 times in 2021.
“Actual emissions are rising, while official emissions are falling,” stated a senior analyst participating in the report. “This gap is widening and poses a serious issue. As a result, PHEVs pollute almost as much as gasoline cars.”
Primary Factors Driving the Discrepancy
Analysts attributed the majority of the gap to inflated estimates of the “electric driving share” – the percentage of kilometers travelled in electric mode compared to total distance. They determined that just 27% of travel was completed in EV mode, while official assumptions assumed 84%.
Additionally, when operating in EV mode, emission levels were well above official projections. That occurred because electric motors were not strong enough to operate alone, leading to engines burning gasoline for almost one-third of the travel covered in electric mode.
Regulatory and Financial Consequences
According to calculations, the lowballing of PHEV emissions enabled four large carmaker groups to escape more than €5bn in penalties between 2021 and 2023, by artificially simplifying adherence with EU average fleet CO2 standards.
Furthermore, drivers of PHEVs would spend about €500 more annually in running costs than is assumed under laboratory tests.
“The strong statements that automakers like to make about their plug-in hybrid cars are obviously far from the truth,” stated a transport analyst. “Buyers are being misled into thinking that by buying a PHEV, they are helping the planet and saving money. In reality, PHEVs are only slightly better than standard gas and diesel cars in terms of energy consumption, CO2 production, and operating costs.”
Political Debate and Automotive Pressure
Plug-in hybrid vehicles have recently been drawn again into political discussions as automakers have lobbied the European Union to weaken CO2 targets. A planned prohibition on sales of new combustion engine vehicles in 2035 has faced intense pressure from the automotive sector and opposition from member states with large automotive industries.
Some high-level officials have proposed PHEVs as a potential “compromise” solution to introduce in the regulation.
One independent energy policy specialist, who was not involved with the study, described the analysis a “highly valuable addition” after a long period in which segments of the automotive sector argued there was too little data to properly assess real-world CO2 output.
“These findings 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 diesel vehicles,” they said. “All policy changes concerning PHEVs should be made with extreme care and in the light of this evidence.”
