Plug-in Hybrid electric Vehicles Pollute Nearly as Much as Gasoline Cars, Study Reveals
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles release nearly 5x greater planet-heating emissions than lab-reported data show, as per a recent report.
Growing Gap In Lab and Real-World Emissions
Statistics reveals that PHEVs emit only 19% less CO2 than conventional petrol and diesel vehicles, according to analysis conducted by a non-profit group. This differs sharply with laboratory tests, which assumed a 75% reduction in emissions.
Researchers studied information from in-vehicle energy use monitors of eight hundred thousand cars sold in the EU between 2021 and 2023. They discovered that real-world CO2 emissions from PHEVs in 2023 were nearly five times higher than official estimates, increased from 3.5 times in 2021.
“Actual emissions are increasing, while official figures are falling,” stated a senior analyst involved in the study. “This discrepancy is widening and creates a serious problem. Consequently, PHEVs pollute nearly as heavily as petrol vehicles.”
Primary Factors Driving the Emissions Gap
Researchers linked most of the gap to inflated estimates of the “electric driving share” – the ratio of kilometers travelled in battery mode compared to overall mileage. The team determined that just 27% of driving was done in EV mode, while official assumptions assumed over four-fifths.
Even, when running in EV mode, pollution amounts were significantly higher than lab estimates. That occurred because electric motors were insufficiently powerful enough to operate independently, leading to engines using gasoline for nearly one-third of the distance covered in electric mode.
Regulatory and Financial Implications
Based on estimates, the underestimation of PHEV emissions enabled four major automaker groups to escape over €5bn in fines from 2021 and 2023, by artificially easing adherence with European Union average fleet CO2 targets.
Furthermore, owners of PHEVs could spend approximately €500 extra annually in operating expenses than would be assumed under lab conditions.
“The bold claims that manufacturers like to make about their PHEV vehicles are clearly way off the mark,” commented a automotive analyst. “Consumers are being duped into thinking that by purchasing a PHEV, they are benefiting the planet and saving costs. Actually, PHEVs are little improved than standard gas and diesel vehicles in terms of energy consumption, CO2 production, and operating costs.”
Political Debate and Automotive Pressure
Hybrid vehicles have recently been brought again into political debates as automakers have lobbied the European Union to weaken CO2 targets. A proposed ban on new internal combustion cars in 2035 has faced intense lobbying from the car sector and opposition from EU countries with large automotive manufacturing.
Some high-level politicians have suggested plug-in hybrids as a possible “compromise” solution to introduce in the legislation.
An external energy economics specialist, who was unaffiliated with the study, described the report a “very useful addition” after a long period in which segments of the car sector argued there was too little information to properly assess real-world CO2 output.
“The results show, without question, that the difference between lab and real-world PHEV fuel consumption and CO2 emissions is significantly larger than for petrol or diesel cars,” the expert stated. “Any policy adjustments concerning PHEVs should be implemented with extreme caution and in the light of that data.”
