🔗 Share this article Plug in Hybrid electric Cars Emit Almost as Heavily as Gasoline Vehicles, Study Reveals Plug-in hybrid cars emit almost five times more planet-heating pollution than lab-reported figures show, as per a recent report. Widening Gap Between Official and Actual CO2 Output Data reveals that PHEVs release only 19% less CO2 than conventional petrol and diesel vehicles, based on analysis carried out by a non-profit group. That contrasts significantly with laboratory estimates, which suggested a three-quarters decrease in emissions. Analysts examined information from onboard energy use monitors of eight hundred thousand vehicles sold in the EU between 2021 and 2023. The team found that actual CO2 emissions from PHEVs in 2023 were nearly five times higher than official figures, increased from three and a half times in 2021. “Real-world emissions are rising, while lab-reported emissions are falling,” said a senior analyst involved in the study. “This gap is widening and creates a significant problem. As a result, PHEVs pollute almost as heavily as gasoline vehicles.” Primary Reasons Behind the Emissions Gap Analysts attributed most of the difference to inflated estimates of the “electric driving share” – the ratio of kilometers travelled in battery mode compared to total mileage. The team found that just a quarter of travel was done in electric mode, while lab assumptions assumed over four-fifths. Additionally, when running in electric mode, pollution levels were significantly higher than official estimates. That happened because electric motors were not strong sufficient to operate alone, leading to engines using gasoline for almost one-third of the travel completed in electric mode. Policy and Financial Implications According to estimates, the underestimation of PHEV CO2 output allowed four major automaker companies to avoid more than €5bn in penalties between 2021 and 2023, by falsely easing adherence with EU fleet-average CO2 targets. Additionally, owners of PHEVs could spend about €500 extra annually in operating costs than would be estimated under laboratory tests. “The strong statements that manufacturers like to make about their PHEV cars are obviously far from the truth,” stated a automotive expert. “Consumers are being misled into believing that by purchasing a PHEV, they are helping the planet and saving costs. Actually, PHEVs are little improved than standard gas and diesel vehicles in terms of energy use, CO2 emissions, and operating costs.” Political Discussion and Automotive Lobbying Plug-in hybrid cars have lately been brought back into policy debates as carmakers have pressed the European Union to relax CO2 standards. A planned prohibition on sales of new combustion engine cars in 2035 has faced intense lobbying from the car industry and resistance from EU countries with significant automotive industries. Some senior officials have proposed plug-in hybrids as a possible “compromise” solution to introduce in the regulation. An independent energy policy specialist, who was unaffiliated with the research, called the report a “very useful contribution” after a long period in which parts of the automotive industry argued there was insufficient data to properly assess real-world emissions. “These findings show, without question, that the difference in official and real-world PHEV energy use and CO2 emissions is significantly greater 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 this evidence.”