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PHEVs release nearly 5x more planet-heating emissions than lab-reported data show, as per a new report.

Growing Discrepancy Between Lab and Actual Emissions

Statistics reveals that PHEVs release just 19% less CO₂ than traditional petrol and diesel cars, based on research conducted by a advocacy organization. This differs sharply with laboratory tests, which suggested a 75% decrease in pollution.

Researchers studied data from in-vehicle energy use monitors 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 nearly five times higher than lab estimates, up from three and a half times in 2021.

“Real-world CO2 output are rising, while official figures are decreasing,” said a senior analyst participating in the report. “This gap is growing and creates a serious problem. As a result, PHEVs emit nearly as much as gasoline cars.”

Key Reasons Driving the Emissions Gap

Analysts linked most of the gap to inflated estimates of the “electric driving share” – the percentage of miles driven in electric power relative to overall mileage. They found that only a quarter of driving was completed in EV mode, while lab estimates suggested 84%.

Additionally, when running in EV mode, pollution amounts were well above lab estimates. This happened because EV motors were insufficiently powerful enough to function independently, leading to engines using fossil fuels for nearly one-third of the travel covered in electric mode.

Regulatory and Economic Implications

According to calculations, the underestimation of PHEV emissions enabled four large automaker groups to avoid over €5bn in penalties between 2021 and 2023, by falsely easing compliance with EU average fleet CO₂ standards.

Furthermore, drivers of PHEVs would pay approximately €500 more per year in operating expenses than is assumed under laboratory tests.

“The bold claims that automakers often promote about their PHEV cars are clearly far from the truth,” commented a transport analyst. “Buyers are being duped into thinking that by purchasing a PHEV, they are benefiting the environment and cutting money. In reality, PHEVs are little better than standard gas and diesel cars in terms of energy use, CO₂ emissions, and operating costs.”

Political Discussion and Industry Pressure

Hybrid vehicles have recently been drawn back into political discussions as automakers have pressed the European Union to weaken CO₂ targets. A proposed ban on new internal combustion vehicles in 2035 has faced heavy pressure from the car sector and opposition from EU countries with large automotive industries.

Several senior officials have suggested PHEVs as a potential “flexibility” solution to include in the regulation.

An independent energy economics specialist, who was not involved with the study, called the analysis a “very useful contribution” after years in which parts of the car sector claimed there was too little data to properly evaluate real-world emissions.

“These findings demonstrate, without question, that the gap in official and actual PHEV energy use and CO₂ emissions is significantly larger than for gasoline or conventional vehicles,” they stated. “Any policy changes concerning PHEVs should be made with extreme care and considering this evidence.”