🔗 Share this article Plug in Hybrid electric Cars Pollute Almost as Heavily as Gasoline Cars, Study Finds Plug-in hybrid cars produce nearly five times greater planet-heating pollution than official figures indicate, according to a new report. Growing Gap In Lab and Actual Emissions Data reveals that PHEVs release only 19% lower CO2 than conventional petrol and diesel vehicles, based on analysis conducted by a non-profit organization. That contrasts significantly with lab tests, which suggested a three-quarters reduction in emissions. Analysts studied data from in-vehicle fuel consumption monitors of eight hundred thousand vehicles registered in Europe from 2021 and 2023. They discovered that real-world CO2 emissions from PHEVs in 2023 were 4.9 times higher than official figures, increased from three and a half times in 2021. “Real-world CO2 output are increasing, while lab-reported figures are falling,” stated a senior analyst involved in the study. “This discrepancy is widening and poses a serious issue. As a result, PHEVs pollute nearly as much as petrol cars.” Key Reasons Driving the Emissions Gap Analysts linked most of the gap to overestimates of the “electric driving share” – the ratio of kilometers travelled in battery mode relative to total distance. They found that just a quarter of driving was completed in EV mode, whereas official assumptions suggested 84%. Even, when running in electric mode, emission levels were significantly higher than official projections. That happened because electric motors were insufficiently powerful sufficient to function alone, resulting to engines using gasoline for nearly a third of the travel completed in EV mode. Regulatory and Financial Implications According to calculations, the underestimation of PHEV emissions allowed four major automaker companies to avoid over €5bn in fines between 2021 and 2023, by falsely simplifying adherence with EU average fleet CO2 targets. Additionally, owners of PHEVs could spend about €500 more annually in operating expenses than is assumed under lab tests. “The strong claims that automakers often promote about their plug-in hybrid cars are obviously far from the mark,” stated a transport expert. “Consumers are being misled into believing that by buying a PHEV, they are helping the environment and cutting costs. Actually, PHEVs are little improved than regular petrol and diesel cars in terms of energy consumption, CO2 emissions, and running expenses.” Political Discussion and Industry Lobbying Hybrid vehicles have lately been brought again into policy discussions as carmakers have lobbied the European Union to weaken CO2 standards. A planned prohibition on new combustion engine vehicles in 2035 has faced heavy pressure from the car industry and resistance from EU countries with large car manufacturing. Some senior politicians have proposed plug-in hybrids as a possible “compromise” solution to introduce in the legislation. One independent energy economics specialist, who was not involved with the research, described the analysis a “highly valuable contribution” after a long period in which segments of the car sector argued there was too little information to accurately assess actual CO2 output. “These findings demonstrate, beyond any doubt, that the difference between official and real-world PHEV energy use and CO2 output is significantly greater than for gasoline or diesel cars,” the expert stated. “All policy adjustments concerning PHEVs should be implemented with utmost caution and considering that evidence.”