Plug in Hybrid Cars Pollute Almost as Much as Petrol Vehicles, Report Finds
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles release almost five times more planet-heating emissions than official data indicate, according to a recent analysis.
Growing Discrepancy In Official and Real-World Emissions
Data shows that PHEVs emit only one-fifth lower CO2 than conventional petrol and diesel vehicles, based on research carried out by a non-profit organization. That contrasts sharply with lab estimates, which suggested a three-quarters decrease in emissions.
Analysts studied information from in-vehicle fuel consumption meters of eight hundred thousand vehicles sold in Europe between 2021 and 2023. They found that actual CO2 output from PHEVs in 2023 were 4.9 times greater than lab estimates, up from 3.5 times in 2021.
“Actual CO2 output are increasing, while official emissions are falling,” stated a lead analyst participating in the study. “That discrepancy is widening and poses a significant problem. Consequently, PHEVs pollute nearly as much as gasoline vehicles.”
Primary Factors Driving the Discrepancy
Analysts linked most of the difference to overestimates of the “electric driving share” – the ratio of kilometers travelled in electric mode compared to overall mileage. The team determined that only 27% of driving was done in electric mode, while official assumptions suggested 84%.
Even, when running in EV mode, pollution levels were significantly higher than lab projections. This happened because EV motors were insufficiently powerful sufficient to operate independently, leading to combustion motors burning gasoline for nearly one-third of the travel covered in electric mode.
Policy and Economic Implications
According to calculations, the lowballing of PHEV emissions enabled four major automaker companies to avoid more than €5bn in penalties from 2021 and 2023, by artificially easing compliance with European Union fleet-average CO2 targets.
Additionally, drivers of PHEVs would pay approximately €500 more per year in operating costs than is estimated under lab conditions.
“The bold claims that automakers often promote about their plug-in hybrid cars are clearly far from the truth,” commented a automotive expert. “Buyers are being duped into thinking that by purchasing a PHEV, they are benefiting the planet and cutting costs. In reality, PHEVs are only slightly better than standard petrol and diesel cars in terms of energy use, CO2 production, and operating costs.”
Political Discussion and Industry Lobbying
Plug-in hybrid cars have recently been brought back into policy discussions as automakers have lobbied the European Union to weaken CO2 standards. A planned ban on sales of new internal combustion cars in 2035 has faced intense pressure from the automotive sector and resistance from EU countries with large automotive industries.
Several high-level officials have proposed plug-in hybrids as a potential “flexibility” solution to include in the regulation.
One independent energy policy expert, who was not involved with the research, described the report a “very useful contribution” after a long period in which parts of the car industry argued there was too little data to properly evaluate real-world CO2 output.
“The results show, beyond any doubt, that the difference in official and real-world PHEV fuel consumption and CO2 emissions is much, much greater than for petrol or conventional cars,” the expert said. “Any policy adjustments concerning PHEVs should be implemented with utmost caution and in the light of that data.”
