🔗 Share this article Plug in Hybrid electric Vehicles Emit Almost as Much as Gasoline Cars, Report Reveals PHEVs release almost five times greater planet-heating emissions than official data show, according to a new analysis. Widening Discrepancy Between Lab and Actual CO2 Output Statistics reveals that PHEVs emit just 19% lower CO2 than traditional gas and diesel vehicles, according to analysis carried out by a non-profit group. This contrasts sharply with lab estimates, which suggested a three-quarters decrease in emissions. Researchers examined information from in-vehicle fuel consumption meters of 800,000 cars registered in Europe between 2021 and 2023. They discovered that real-world CO2 emissions from PHEVs in 2023 were nearly five times higher than lab estimates, up from three and a half times in 2021. “Actual CO2 output are increasing, while lab-reported emissions are falling,” said a senior analyst involved in the report. “This discrepancy is growing and poses a serious issue. As a result, PHEVs emit almost as heavily as gasoline vehicles.” Key Reasons Behind the Emissions Gap Researchers attributed the majority of the difference to overestimates of the “electric driving share” – the percentage of miles travelled in battery power compared to total distance. They determined that only 27% of travel was completed in EV mode, whereas lab estimates assumed over four-fifths. Additionally, when operating in electric mode, pollution levels were significantly higher than official projections. This happened because EV motors were insufficiently powerful enough to function independently, leading to engines using gasoline for almost one-third of the travel completed in EV mode. Regulatory and Financial Consequences Based on estimates, the underestimation of PHEV CO2 output allowed four major automaker groups to avoid over €5bn in fines from 2021 and 2023, by falsely simplifying compliance with European Union fleet-average CO2 standards. Furthermore, drivers of PHEVs would pay about €500 extra per year in running expenses than would be estimated under lab tests. “The bold claims that manufacturers often promote about their PHEV cars are obviously way off the mark,” commented a automotive expert. “Buyers are being duped into believing that by buying a PHEV, they are helping the planet and cutting money. Actually, PHEVs are only slightly improved than standard gas and diesel vehicles in terms of energy use, CO2 production, and operating costs.” Political Debate and Industry Pressure Plug-in hybrid vehicles have lately been brought again into political debates as automakers have lobbied the EU to weaken CO2 standards. A planned prohibition on new internal combustion vehicles in 2035 has faced heavy pressure from the car industry and opposition from EU countries with large automotive manufacturing. Some high-level officials have proposed plug-in hybrids as a potential “compromise” option to introduce in the regulation. An independent energy policy specialist, who was unaffiliated with the research, described the report a “very useful addition” after a long period in which segments of the car sector claimed there was insufficient information to accurately assess actual emissions. “The results demonstrate, without question, that the gap in lab and real-world PHEV energy use and CO2 emissions is much, much larger than for gasoline or conventional vehicles,” the expert stated. “Any policy adjustments concerning PHEVs should be implemented with utmost caution and considering that data.”