🔗 Share this article Plug in Hybrid Vehicles Emit Nearly as Much as Gasoline Cars, Study Finds Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles produce almost 5x greater global warming pollution than lab-reported data show, according to a new report. Widening Gap In Lab and Real-World Emissions Statistics shows that PHEVs release just 19% less CO2 than conventional gas and diesel cars, according to analysis carried out by a non-profit organization. This differs sharply with lab tests, which assumed a 75% reduction in emissions. Analysts examined data from onboard fuel consumption monitors of 800,000 cars sold in the EU between 2021 and 2023. The team discovered that actual CO2 output from PHEVs in 2023 were nearly five times greater than lab figures, up from three and a half times in 2021. “Actual CO2 output are increasing, while official emissions are decreasing,” said a senior researcher participating in the report. “That gap is widening and poses a significant issue. As a result, PHEVs emit nearly as heavily as gasoline vehicles.” Primary Reasons Behind the Discrepancy Analysts linked the majority of the gap to inflated estimates of the “electric driving share” – the percentage of miles driven in battery mode relative to total mileage. They found that only 27% of travel was completed in electric mode, while official assumptions suggested 84%. Even, when running in EV mode, emission amounts were significantly higher than official estimates. That happened because electric motors were not strong enough to function alone, resulting to engines burning fossil fuels for nearly a third of the distance covered in EV mode. Policy and Financial Implications According to estimates, the lowballing of PHEV emissions allowed several large automaker groups to avoid over €5bn in fines between 2021 and 2023, by falsely easing compliance with EU fleet-average CO2 targets. Additionally, owners of PHEVs could spend about €500 extra per year in running expenses than is assumed under laboratory conditions. “The strong statements that manufacturers like to make about their plug-in hybrid cars are obviously far from the truth,” commented a automotive expert. “Consumers are being duped into believing that by purchasing a PHEV, they are benefiting the environment and cutting costs. Actually, PHEVs are little better than standard petrol and diesel vehicles in terms of energy consumption, CO2 production, and operating costs.” Policy Discussion and Automotive Pressure Hybrid cars have recently been drawn back into political debates as carmakers have pressed the EU to relax CO2 targets. A proposed prohibition on new combustion engine cars in 2035 has faced intense pressure from the car sector and resistance from member states with significant automotive industries. Several high-level officials have proposed PHEVs as a possible “flexibility” solution to include in the regulation. An external energy economics expert, who was not involved with the study, called the report a “very useful addition” after a long period in which parts of the car industry argued there was too little data to properly evaluate actual CO2 output. “The results show, without question, that the difference between official and real-world PHEV fuel consumption and CO2 output is much, much larger than for gasoline or conventional cars,” they stated. “Any policy changes concerning PHEVs should be made with extreme care and in the light of that evidence.”