Plug in Hybrid Vehicles Emit Nearly as Heavily as Gasoline Vehicles, Report Finds
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles produce nearly five times greater planet-heating pollution than official figures indicate, as per a new report.
Growing Gap Between Official and Real-World Emissions
Statistics reveals that PHEVs emit just one-fifth less CO2 than traditional petrol and diesel vehicles, based on analysis carried out by a advocacy organization. That differs significantly with lab tests, which suggested a three-quarters decrease in emissions.
Analysts studied information from in-vehicle fuel consumption monitors of 800,000 cars registered in the EU between 2021 and 2023. They discovered that real-world CO2 emissions from PHEVs in 2023 were nearly five times greater than lab figures, increased from 3.5 times in 2021.
“Actual CO2 output are rising, while official figures are decreasing,” said a lead analyst participating in the report. “This gap is growing and creates a serious problem. Consequently, PHEVs emit almost as heavily as petrol vehicles.”
Key Factors Driving the Emissions Gap
Analysts linked most of the gap to overestimates of the “utility factor” – the percentage of kilometers travelled in electric mode relative to overall mileage. The team determined that just a quarter of driving was completed in electric mode, while lab assumptions suggested 84%.
Additionally, when operating in EV mode, pollution amounts were well above official projections. That happened because EV motors were not strong sufficient to operate independently, resulting to engines using gasoline for nearly one-third of the travel completed in EV mode.
Regulatory and Financial Consequences
According to estimates, the underestimation of PHEV emissions enabled several major carmaker companies to avoid over €5bn in penalties between 2021 and 2023, by artificially simplifying compliance with European Union fleet-average CO2 targets.
Additionally, owners of PHEVs would spend approximately €500 extra annually in operating costs than would be assumed under laboratory conditions.
“The strong claims that automakers like to make about their plug-in hybrid vehicles are clearly far from the mark,” stated a automotive analyst. “Buyers are being misled into thinking that by purchasing a PHEV, they are helping the planet and cutting money. In reality, PHEVs are little better than standard petrol and diesel vehicles in terms of energy use, CO2 emissions, and operating expenses.”
Policy Debate and Industry Lobbying
Plug-in hybrid vehicles have lately been brought back into political debates as automakers have lobbied the EU to relax CO2 targets. A proposed prohibition on new internal combustion vehicles in 2035 has faced heavy lobbying from the car industry and opposition from member states with significant car industries.
Some senior politicians have proposed PHEVs as a possible “compromise” option to introduce in the regulation.
An independent energy policy specialist, who was unaffiliated with the study, described the analysis a “very useful addition” after years in which segments of the automotive industry claimed there was insufficient information to properly evaluate actual emissions.
“These findings demonstrate, beyond any doubt, that the difference between official and actual PHEV fuel consumption and CO2 emissions is much, much larger than for gasoline or conventional vehicles,” the expert said. “Any policy changes regarding PHEVs should be implemented with utmost care and in the light of this evidence.”
