🔗 Share this article

PHEVs emit almost 5x more global warming emissions than lab-reported figures show, according to a new report.

Growing Gap In Lab and Actual CO2 Output

Statistics shows that PHEVs emit only 19% lower CO₂ than traditional petrol and diesel vehicles, according to analysis carried out by a non-profit organization. That differs significantly with laboratory tests, which suggested a 75% decrease in pollution.

Researchers studied data from onboard energy use monitors of eight hundred thousand vehicles registered in Europe from 2021 and 2023. The team discovered that actual CO₂ emissions from PHEVs in 2023 were nearly five times higher than lab estimates, up from three and a half times in 2021.

“Real-world CO2 output are rising, while official emissions are decreasing,” stated a lead analyst involved in the study. “This gap is widening and poses a significant issue. As a result, PHEVs emit almost as much as gasoline vehicles.”

Key Factors Behind the Emissions Gap

Analysts linked the majority of the gap to overestimates of the “utility factor” – the percentage of kilometers driven in electric mode compared to total mileage. The team determined that just a quarter of driving was done in EV mode, whereas lab estimates assumed 84%.

Even, when running in electric mode, emission amounts were well above lab projections. That happened because electric motors were not strong sufficient to function alone, resulting to combustion motors using fossil fuels for almost a third of the distance covered in electric mode.

Regulatory and Economic Consequences

According to calculations, the lowballing of PHEV CO2 output allowed several major carmaker groups to avoid over €5bn in penalties between 2021 and 2023, by falsely easing compliance with European Union fleet-average CO₂ targets.

Furthermore, owners of PHEVs would spend about €500 extra annually in running expenses than is estimated under laboratory conditions.

“The bold statements that manufacturers often promote about their PHEV vehicles are clearly far from the truth,” commented a automotive analyst. “Consumers are being misled into believing that by buying a PHEV, they are benefiting the environment and saving money. Actually, PHEVs are only slightly improved than standard petrol and diesel vehicles in terms of energy use, CO₂ emissions, and running costs.”

Political Debate and Automotive Pressure

Hybrid cars have lately been drawn back into political discussions as automakers have lobbied the EU to weaken CO₂ standards. A planned prohibition on sales of new internal combustion cars in 2035 has faced heavy pressure from the automotive industry and resistance from member states with significant car manufacturing.

Several senior politicians have suggested PHEVs as a possible “flexibility” option to include in the regulation.

One external energy economics specialist, who was unaffiliated with the study, described the report a “very useful addition” after a long period in which parts of the car sector claimed there was too little information to properly evaluate real-world CO2 output.

“The results show, without question, that the difference in official and real-world PHEV energy use and CO₂ emissions is much, much greater than for gasoline or diesel cars,” they stated. “All regulatory changes concerning PHEVs should be implemented with utmost care and considering this evidence.”