🔗 Share this article Plug in Hybrid electric Cars Pollute Almost as Much as Petrol Vehicles, Study Finds Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles emit almost 5x greater planet-heating pollution than lab-reported figures show, according to a new report. Widening Discrepancy Between Official and Real-World Emissions Data shows that PHEVs emit only one-fifth less CO2 than conventional gas and diesel cars, based on research conducted by a non-profit organization. That contrasts sharply with lab estimates, which assumed a 75% reduction in emissions. Researchers examined data from in-vehicle fuel consumption monitors of 800,000 vehicles sold in the EU between 2021 and 2023. The team found that real-world CO2 emissions from PHEVs in 2023 were nearly five times higher than lab estimates, increased from three and a half times in 2021. “Actual emissions are rising, while lab-reported emissions are falling,” said a senior researcher involved in the report. “This gap is growing and poses a significant problem. Consequently, PHEVs emit nearly as much as petrol vehicles.” Key Factors Driving the Discrepancy Analysts attributed most of the gap to inflated estimates of the “electric driving share” – the ratio of miles driven in electric mode compared to total mileage. They found that only a quarter of driving was done in electric mode, whereas official estimates suggested 84%. Even, when operating in EV mode, pollution amounts were well above lab estimates. This happened because electric motors were not strong enough to operate alone, resulting to engines burning gasoline for almost one-third of the travel covered in EV mode. Regulatory and Financial Implications Based on calculations, the lowballing of PHEV emissions allowed several large carmaker groups to escape over €5bn in penalties from 2021 and 2023, by falsely easing compliance with European Union average fleet CO2 standards. Additionally, drivers of PHEVs could spend approximately €500 extra per year in operating expenses than is assumed under lab conditions. “The bold statements that automakers like to make about their plug-in hybrid vehicles are obviously way off the mark,” stated a automotive analyst. “Buyers are being duped into believing that by purchasing a PHEV, they are helping the planet and saving costs. In reality, PHEVs are only slightly improved than standard petrol and diesel cars in terms of fuel consumption, CO2 emissions, and operating costs.” Political Debate and Automotive Pressure Plug-in hybrid cars have lately been brought back into political discussions as carmakers have pressed the EU to relax CO2 standards. A proposed prohibition on sales of new combustion engine cars in 2035 has faced heavy pressure from the car industry and opposition from member states with large car industries. Several high-level politicians have suggested PHEVs as a potential “flexibility” solution to include in the legislation. An independent energy economics specialist, who was unaffiliated with the research, described the report a “very useful contribution” after years in which segments of the car industry claimed there was too little information to accurately evaluate actual CO2 output. “The results demonstrate, without question, that the gap between lab and actual PHEV energy use and CO2 output is much, much larger than for gasoline or diesel cars,” they stated. “All regulatory changes regarding PHEVs should be made with utmost caution and considering that data.”