🔗 Share this article Plug-in Hybrid electric Cars Emit Nearly as Much as Gasoline Vehicles, Report Finds Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles emit nearly five times more planet-heating emissions than lab-reported figures show, as per a recent analysis. Widening Discrepancy In Lab and Actual CO2 Output Statistics shows that PHEVs emit only one-fifth lower CO2 than traditional petrol and diesel vehicles, based on analysis conducted by a advocacy organization. That differs sharply with lab tests, which assumed a 75% decrease in pollution. Researchers examined information from in-vehicle energy use monitors of 800,000 cars sold in Europe between 2021 and 2023. They discovered that actual CO2 output from PHEVs in 2023 were 4.9 times higher than official estimates, up from three and a half times in 2021. “Real-world CO2 output are increasing, while lab-reported emissions are falling,” stated a lead analyst involved in the study. “That discrepancy is growing and creates a serious issue. Consequently, PHEVs pollute almost as much as petrol vehicles.” Key Factors Behind the Discrepancy Researchers attributed the majority of the difference to overestimates of the “utility factor” – the percentage of miles driven in electric power relative to total distance. The team determined that just a quarter of travel was done in EV mode, while official assumptions suggested over four-fifths. Even, when operating in EV mode, emission levels were significantly higher than official projections. That occurred because electric motors were insufficiently powerful enough to function alone, resulting to engines using fossil fuels for nearly a third of the distance covered in electric mode. Regulatory and Financial Implications Based on estimates, the underestimation of PHEV emissions allowed several large automaker companies to avoid more than €5bn in penalties between 2021 and 2023, by artificially easing adherence with European Union fleet-average CO2 standards. Furthermore, drivers of PHEVs could pay approximately €500 extra per year in operating costs than would be estimated under laboratory tests. “The bold claims that automakers often promote about their plug-in hybrid cars are clearly far from the mark,” commented a automotive expert. “Consumers are being misled into thinking that by buying 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 use, CO2 emissions, and running costs.” Political Discussion and Automotive Lobbying Plug-in hybrid cars have recently been drawn again into political debates as carmakers have pressed the EU to weaken CO2 standards. A planned ban on sales of new combustion engine vehicles in 2035 has faced intense pressure from the car industry and opposition from EU countries with significant automotive manufacturing. Several senior politicians have suggested plug-in hybrids as a potential “compromise” solution to introduce in the legislation. An external energy policy specialist, who was unaffiliated with the research, called the analysis a “very useful addition” after years in which parts of the car industry argued there was insufficient information to accurately evaluate real-world CO2 output. “The results show, without question, that the gap in official and actual PHEV fuel consumption and CO2 emissions is much, much greater than for petrol or conventional cars,” they stated. “All regulatory changes regarding PHEVs should be made with utmost caution and in the light of this data.”