Plug in Hybrid electric Cars Emit Almost as Much as Petrol Cars, Study Reveals
Plug-in hybrid cars emit almost five times greater global warming pollution than lab-reported data show, as per a recent analysis.
Widening Discrepancy In Official and Actual Emissions
Data reveals that PHEVs release only 19% lower CO2 than traditional petrol and diesel vehicles, based on analysis carried out by a advocacy organization. That differs sharply with lab estimates, which suggested a three-quarters reduction in emissions.
Researchers examined information from in-vehicle energy use meters of 800,000 vehicles sold in the EU from 2021 and 2023. They found that real-world CO2 emissions from PHEVs in 2023 were nearly five times higher than official estimates, up from 3.5 times in 2021.
“Actual emissions are rising, while official emissions are falling,” stated a lead analyst participating in the study. “This gap is widening and creates a serious issue. Consequently, PHEVs pollute nearly as much as gasoline cars.”
Key Factors Behind the Emissions Gap
Analysts linked the majority of the gap to inflated estimates of the “utility factor” – the ratio of miles travelled in battery mode compared to overall mileage. They determined that just a quarter of travel was completed in electric mode, whereas lab assumptions suggested 84%.
Even, when running in EV mode, emission amounts were significantly higher than official estimates. This occurred because EV motors were insufficiently powerful enough to function alone, resulting to combustion motors burning fossil fuels for almost one-third of the distance completed in electric mode.
Regulatory and Financial Consequences
Based on calculations, the lowballing of PHEV emissions allowed several large automaker groups to escape over €5bn in fines from 2021 and 2023, by artificially easing compliance with EU average fleet CO2 standards.
Additionally, drivers of PHEVs could pay approximately €500 extra annually in running expenses than would be assumed under lab conditions.
“The strong statements that manufacturers like to make about their plug-in hybrid vehicles are clearly way off the mark,” commented a transport analyst. “Consumers are being duped into thinking that by purchasing a PHEV, they are helping the planet and saving costs. In reality, PHEVs are little improved than regular petrol and diesel vehicles in terms of fuel consumption, CO2 production, and running expenses.”
Policy Discussion and Industry Pressure
Plug-in hybrid vehicles have recently been brought again into political discussions as carmakers have lobbied the EU to relax CO2 targets. A planned prohibition on sales of new combustion engine cars in 2035 has faced heavy lobbying from the car sector and opposition from member states with large automotive industries.
Several high-level officials have proposed PHEVs as a possible “flexibility” option to introduce in the legislation.
An external energy economics expert, who was unaffiliated with the study, described the report a “highly valuable contribution” after a long period in which parts of the car sector argued there was too little information to properly evaluate actual emissions.
“The results show, beyond any doubt, that the difference between official and real-world PHEV fuel consumption and CO2 emissions is significantly greater than for petrol or conventional vehicles,” they stated. “All policy adjustments concerning PHEVs should be made with extreme care and in the light of this evidence.”
