Plug-in Hybrid Cars Emit Almost as Much as Petrol Cars, Study Finds
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles produce nearly five times greater planet-heating pollution than official data show, according to a new analysis.
Growing Discrepancy In Lab and Actual CO2 Output
Data shows that PHEVs emit only 19% lower CO2 than traditional petrol and diesel vehicles, based on research conducted by a advocacy group. This differs significantly with laboratory estimates, which suggested a 75% decrease in emissions.
Analysts studied information from onboard fuel consumption meters of eight hundred thousand vehicles registered in Europe between 2021 and 2023. They discovered that real-world CO2 output from PHEVs in 2023 were nearly five times higher than official figures, increased from 3.5 times in 2021.
“Real-world emissions are increasing, while official emissions are decreasing,” stated a senior analyst involved in the study. “This gap is widening and poses a significant issue. As a result, PHEVs emit almost as much as gasoline vehicles.”
Key Factors Behind the Emissions Gap
Analysts attributed the majority of the difference to overestimates of the “electric driving share” – the ratio of miles travelled in electric power relative to total mileage. The team determined that just 27% of travel was done in EV mode, whereas official assumptions assumed 84%.
Even, when operating in electric mode, pollution levels were significantly higher than lab projections. This occurred because electric motors were not strong sufficient to function alone, resulting to combustion motors burning gasoline for almost one-third of the distance completed in EV mode.
Policy and Economic Consequences
Based on estimates, the underestimation of PHEV CO2 output enabled several major automaker companies to avoid over €5bn in penalties between 2021 and 2023, by artificially simplifying adherence with EU average fleet CO2 standards.
Furthermore, owners of PHEVs would spend about €500 extra annually in operating expenses than is assumed under lab tests.
“The strong claims that manufacturers often promote about their PHEV cars are clearly far from the mark,” stated a automotive expert. “Consumers are being misled into thinking that by purchasing a PHEV, they are helping the environment and saving costs. In reality, PHEVs are only slightly improved than standard petrol and diesel cars in terms of energy use, CO2 production, and operating expenses.”
Political Debate and Automotive Lobbying
Plug-in hybrid cars have lately been drawn again into political debates as carmakers have pressed the EU to relax CO2 targets. A planned prohibition on sales of new internal combustion vehicles in 2035 has faced intense pressure from the car sector and opposition from member states with significant automotive manufacturing.
Several senior politicians have proposed PHEVs as a possible “compromise” option to include in the legislation.
An external energy economics expert, who was unaffiliated with the study, described the analysis a “highly valuable addition” after years in which segments of the automotive sector argued there was too little data to properly evaluate real-world emissions.
“The results show, without question, that the difference in official and real-world PHEV energy use and CO2 output is significantly larger than for gasoline or diesel cars,” they said. “Any policy adjustments concerning PHEVs should be made with utmost caution and considering that data.”
