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Plug-in hybrid cars emit nearly 5x more planet-heating pollution than lab-reported figures show, as per a recent analysis.

Widening Discrepancy In Official and Real-World Emissions

Data reveals that PHEVs release just 19% less CO₂ than traditional petrol and diesel cars, based on analysis conducted by a non-profit group. This contrasts sharply with lab tests, which assumed a three-quarters reduction in emissions.

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

“Real-world CO2 output are rising, while official emissions are decreasing,” stated a lead researcher involved in the report. “That discrepancy is widening and creates a serious issue. As a result, PHEVs pollute almost as much as gasoline cars.”

Primary Reasons Driving the Discrepancy

Analysts linked most of the gap to overestimates of the “utility factor” – the percentage of miles driven in electric power relative to total mileage. The team determined that only 27% of driving was done in EV mode, while lab assumptions assumed over four-fifths.

Even, when operating in electric mode, emission amounts were significantly higher than official estimates. That occurred because EV motors were not strong enough to function alone, leading to combustion motors burning fossil fuels for nearly one-third of the travel covered in EV mode.

Regulatory and Financial Consequences

Based on calculations, the underestimation of PHEV CO2 output allowed several major automaker groups to avoid more than €5bn in penalties from 2021 and 2023, by artificially easing adherence with European Union fleet-average CO₂ targets.

Additionally, owners of PHEVs would pay approximately €500 more annually in running expenses than would be estimated under lab conditions.

“The strong statements that automakers like to make about their PHEV vehicles are clearly way off the mark,” commented a automotive analyst. “Consumers are being misled into believing that by buying a PHEV, they are helping the planet and saving money. In reality, PHEVs are only slightly improved than regular petrol and diesel vehicles in terms of energy consumption, CO₂ production, and operating costs.”

Political Discussion and Automotive Pressure

Hybrid cars have recently been brought again into political debates as automakers have pressed the EU to relax CO₂ targets. A proposed prohibition on new internal combustion vehicles in 2035 has faced heavy lobbying from the automotive sector and opposition from EU countries with significant automotive industries.

Some senior officials have suggested PHEVs as a possible “compromise” option to include in the regulation.

One external energy policy expert, who was unaffiliated with the study, described the report a “very useful addition” after a long period in which parts of the car sector argued there was insufficient data to accurately assess real-world emissions.

“These findings show, beyond any doubt, that the difference between lab and actual PHEV energy use and CO₂ output is significantly greater than for petrol or conventional cars,” they said. “All regulatory changes concerning PHEVs should be implemented with utmost caution and considering that data.”