Plug in Hybrid Cars Pollute Almost as Much as Petrol Cars, Report Reveals
Plug-in hybrid cars emit almost five times greater global warming emissions than official data indicate, as per a new report.
Widening Discrepancy Between Lab and Real-World Emissions
Data reveals that PHEVs emit only 19% less CO2 than conventional petrol and diesel vehicles, based on research conducted by a advocacy group. This contrasts significantly with lab estimates, which assumed a three-quarters reduction in pollution.
Researchers studied data from onboard energy use monitors of 800,000 cars sold in the EU between 2021 and 2023. They discovered that real-world CO2 output from PHEVs in 2023 were 4.9 times greater than lab estimates, up from 3.5 times in 2021.
“Real-world CO2 output are increasing, while official figures are decreasing,” said a senior analyst involved in the report. “That discrepancy is widening and poses a serious problem. Consequently, PHEVs pollute almost as heavily as gasoline cars.”
Primary Reasons Behind the Discrepancy
Analysts linked the majority of the gap to overestimates of the “electric driving share” – the ratio of miles travelled in battery power compared to overall distance. They found that just a quarter of driving was done in electric mode, while lab estimates assumed 84%.
Additionally, when running in electric mode, emission amounts were well above official projections. This occurred because EV motors were not strong sufficient to function alone, leading to combustion motors using gasoline for almost a third of the travel covered in EV mode.
Policy and Financial Implications
Based on calculations, the lowballing of PHEV CO2 output enabled several large automaker groups to escape over €5bn in fines from 2021 and 2023, by artificially easing adherence with EU fleet-average CO2 targets.
Furthermore, owners of PHEVs would pay about €500 extra per year in operating costs than would be estimated under lab tests.
“The bold claims that manufacturers like to make about their plug-in hybrid cars are obviously far from the truth,” stated a transport analyst. “Buyers are being misled into thinking that by buying a PHEV, they are helping the environment and cutting money. In reality, PHEVs are little better than standard gas and diesel vehicles in terms of energy use, CO2 production, and operating expenses.”
Political Debate and Industry Pressure
Hybrid cars have recently been drawn back into political discussions as carmakers have pressed the European Union to relax CO2 targets. A proposed ban on new combustion engine vehicles in 2035 has faced heavy lobbying from the automotive industry and resistance from EU countries with large automotive industries.
Some high-level politicians have suggested plug-in hybrids as a possible “compromise” option to include in the legislation.
One external energy policy expert, who was unaffiliated with the research, described the analysis a “very useful contribution” after years in which segments of the car industry argued there was insufficient information to properly evaluate real-world CO2 output.
“The results show, beyond any doubt, that the gap between official and real-world PHEV fuel consumption and CO2 emissions is much, much greater than for gasoline or diesel vehicles,” they stated. “All regulatory adjustments concerning PHEVs should be made with utmost care and considering that data.”
