Plug-in Hybrid electric Vehicles Emit Almost as Much as Gasoline Cars, Report Finds
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles release nearly 5x more planet-heating emissions than official data show, according to a new analysis.
Growing Gap In Official and Actual CO2 Output
Statistics shows that PHEVs emit just 19% less CO2 than conventional gas and diesel cars, based on research carried out by a advocacy organization. This differs significantly with lab tests, which assumed a three-quarters reduction in emissions.
Researchers examined information from onboard fuel consumption meters of 800,000 cars registered in Europe from 2021 and 2023. They found that real-world CO2 output from PHEVs in 2023 were 4.9 times greater than lab figures, up from three and a half times in 2021.
“Actual emissions are rising, while official emissions are decreasing,” stated a lead researcher involved in the study. “That gap is growing and poses a significant issue. As a result, PHEVs emit almost as heavily as petrol cars.”
Primary Factors Driving the Discrepancy
Analysts attributed most of the gap to inflated estimates of the “utility factor” – the ratio of miles travelled in electric power relative to overall distance. They determined that only 27% of driving was completed in EV mode, whereas official assumptions suggested over four-fifths.
Additionally, when operating in electric mode, pollution levels were significantly higher than official projections. This occurred because EV motors were not strong sufficient to function alone, resulting to combustion motors using fossil fuels for nearly a third of the distance covered in electric mode.
Regulatory and Financial Implications
Based on calculations, the underestimation of PHEV CO2 output allowed four large carmaker groups to avoid over €5bn in penalties between 2021 and 2023, by artificially simplifying compliance with EU fleet-average CO2 targets.
Additionally, owners of PHEVs could spend about €500 more annually in running costs than is assumed under lab tests.
“The strong statements that manufacturers often promote about their plug-in hybrid vehicles are obviously way off the truth,” stated a automotive analyst. “Consumers are being duped into thinking that by purchasing a PHEV, they are benefiting the planet and saving money. Actually, PHEVs are only slightly better than standard gas and diesel vehicles in terms of energy consumption, CO2 emissions, and operating costs.”
Policy Debate and Industry Lobbying
Plug-in hybrid vehicles have lately been brought again into political discussions as automakers have lobbied the European Union to weaken CO2 targets. A proposed ban on new combustion engine cars in 2035 has faced intense lobbying from the automotive sector and resistance from EU countries with significant car industries.
Several senior politicians have suggested plug-in hybrids as a potential “compromise” option to introduce in the legislation.
An external energy economics expert, who was unaffiliated with the research, described the analysis a “very useful contribution” after years in which segments of the car sector claimed there was insufficient information to properly assess actual CO2 output.
“The results demonstrate, without question, that the gap between official and real-world PHEV energy use and CO2 emissions is significantly larger than for petrol or conventional vehicles,” the expert said. “All policy changes concerning PHEVs should be made with extreme care and considering that data.”
