🔗 Share this article Plug-in Hybrid electric Vehicles Emit Almost as Heavily as Gasoline Cars, Report Reveals Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles produce almost 5x more global warming emissions than official figures show, as per a recent report. Widening Discrepancy Between Lab and Actual Emissions Data shows that PHEVs emit just one-fifth less CO2 than conventional petrol and diesel vehicles, according to analysis carried out by a advocacy organization. That differs sharply with lab tests, which suggested a 75% reduction in emissions. Researchers examined information from in-vehicle fuel consumption meters of 800,000 vehicles sold in Europe between 2021 and 2023. The team discovered that real-world CO2 emissions from PHEVs in 2023 were nearly five times greater than official estimates, up from three and a half times in 2021. “Real-world CO2 output are rising, while lab-reported figures are falling,” stated a lead analyst involved in the study. “That gap is growing and creates a serious issue. As a result, PHEVs emit nearly as much as petrol vehicles.” Key Reasons Behind the Emissions Gap Analysts linked most of the difference to overestimates of the “utility factor” – the ratio of kilometers driven in electric power relative to overall distance. They determined that just 27% of travel was completed in EV mode, whereas official estimates assumed 84%. Even, when operating in electric mode, emission amounts were significantly higher than official projections. This occurred because EV motors were insufficiently powerful enough to operate independently, leading to combustion motors burning fossil fuels for nearly one-third of the distance covered in electric mode. Regulatory and Financial Consequences According to calculations, the lowballing of PHEV CO2 output allowed four large automaker companies to escape over €5bn in fines from 2021 and 2023, by falsely simplifying compliance with EU average fleet CO2 standards. Additionally, drivers of PHEVs would pay approximately €500 extra annually in operating expenses than would be estimated under lab tests. “The bold claims that manufacturers like to make about their plug-in hybrid cars are clearly way off the truth,” commented a automotive expert. “Consumers are being misled into thinking that by purchasing a PHEV, they are benefiting the planet and saving money. In reality, PHEVs are only slightly better than regular petrol and diesel cars in terms of fuel use, CO2 production, and running costs.” Political Discussion and Automotive Lobbying Plug-in hybrid cars have lately been drawn back into policy debates as automakers have lobbied the EU to relax CO2 standards. A planned prohibition on sales of new combustion engine cars in 2035 has faced intense pressure from the automotive sector and opposition from EU countries with significant automotive industries. Some senior politicians have suggested plug-in hybrids as a possible “flexibility” solution to include in the regulation. An independent energy policy expert, who was unaffiliated with the study, described the analysis a “highly valuable contribution” after years in which parts of the car industry argued there was insufficient information to accurately evaluate real-world emissions. “These findings demonstrate, without question, that the difference between official and real-world PHEV energy use and CO2 output is significantly larger than for petrol or diesel vehicles,” the expert said. “All policy adjustments concerning PHEVs should be made with extreme caution and in the light of this evidence.”