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Plug-in hybrid cars release nearly 5x more global warming pollution than official figures show, according to a recent analysis.

Growing Discrepancy In Official and Actual Emissions

Statistics reveals that PHEVs emit only one-fifth lower CO₂ than traditional petrol and diesel vehicles, based on research conducted by a advocacy organization. This contrasts sharply with laboratory estimates, which assumed a 75% decrease in emissions.

Analysts studied data from in-vehicle energy use monitors of eight hundred thousand vehicles registered in the EU between 2021 and 2023. The team found that actual CO₂ output from PHEVs in 2023 were nearly five times higher than lab estimates, up from 3.5 times in 2021.

“Real-world emissions are increasing, while official figures are decreasing,” stated a senior researcher involved in the report. “That gap is growing and poses a significant problem. As a result, PHEVs pollute nearly as heavily as gasoline vehicles.”

Primary Reasons Driving the Emissions Gap

Analysts linked the majority of the gap to overestimates of the “utility factor” – the ratio of kilometers travelled in battery power compared to overall mileage. They found that just 27% of travel was completed in EV mode, whereas official assumptions suggested 84%.

Additionally, when operating in electric mode, pollution amounts were significantly higher than official projections. This occurred because EV motors were not strong sufficient to operate independently, resulting to combustion motors using gasoline for nearly a third of the travel completed in EV mode.

Regulatory and Financial Implications

According to calculations, the underestimation of PHEV emissions enabled four large carmaker groups to avoid over €5bn in fines from 2021 and 2023, by falsely easing compliance with European Union fleet-average CO₂ targets.

Additionally, drivers of PHEVs could spend about €500 more annually in operating costs than is estimated under laboratory tests.

“The strong claims that automakers like to make about their plug-in hybrid cars are clearly far from the mark,” stated a automotive expert. “Consumers are being duped into thinking that by purchasing a PHEV, they are helping the environment and cutting costs. In reality, PHEVs are only slightly improved than regular gas and diesel cars in terms of energy use, CO₂ emissions, and running expenses.”

Political Discussion and Automotive Lobbying

Hybrid cars have lately been brought again into policy debates as automakers have lobbied the EU to weaken CO₂ standards. A proposed ban on new combustion engine vehicles in 2035 has faced intense lobbying from the automotive industry and resistance from EU countries with significant automotive manufacturing.

Several high-level politicians have suggested PHEVs as a possible “compromise” solution to introduce in the legislation.

An independent energy economics specialist, who was not involved with the study, called the report a “very useful addition” after years in which segments of the car sector claimed there was too little information to accurately evaluate real-world emissions.

“The results show, beyond any doubt, that the gap between official and actual PHEV fuel consumption and CO₂ output is significantly larger than for petrol or diesel cars,” the expert said. “Any policy changes regarding PHEVs should be implemented with utmost care and in the light of this evidence.”