🔗 Share this article Plug in Hybrid Cars Emit Nearly as Much as Gasoline Cars, Study Reveals Plug-in hybrid cars emit almost 5x greater global warming emissions than official data indicate, according to a recent report. Widening Gap In Lab and Real-World Emissions Statistics shows that PHEVs release just 19% lower CO2 than conventional gas and diesel cars, according to analysis carried out by a non-profit group. This contrasts significantly with laboratory tests, which assumed a 75% decrease in pollution. Analysts studied information from onboard fuel consumption monitors of 800,000 cars registered in Europe from 2021 and 2023. They discovered that real-world CO2 emissions from PHEVs in 2023 were 4.9 times greater than lab estimates, increased from three and a half times in 2021. “Real-world emissions are rising, while official emissions are falling,” stated a lead analyst participating in the report. “That discrepancy is widening and poses a serious issue. As a result, PHEVs emit almost as much as petrol cars.” Key Factors Behind the Emissions Gap Researchers attributed the majority of the gap to overestimates of the “electric driving share” – the ratio of miles driven in electric power relative to total mileage. They found that only a quarter of driving was done in EV mode, while official estimates suggested 84%. Even, when running in EV mode, emission levels were significantly higher than lab estimates. That occurred because electric motors were not strong sufficient to operate alone, leading to engines burning fossil fuels for almost a third of the distance covered in electric mode. Regulatory and Economic Implications According to estimates, the lowballing of PHEV emissions allowed several large carmaker companies to avoid over €5bn in fines from 2021 and 2023, by artificially simplifying compliance with European Union fleet-average CO2 standards. Furthermore, drivers of PHEVs would spend approximately €500 more per year in operating costs than would be estimated under laboratory conditions. “The strong claims that manufacturers often promote about their PHEV vehicles are obviously far from the truth,” commented a transport analyst. “Consumers are being duped into believing that by purchasing a PHEV, they are benefiting the environment and saving money. In reality, PHEVs are little improved than standard gas and diesel vehicles in terms of energy use, CO2 production, and running costs.” Political Debate and Automotive Lobbying Plug-in hybrid cars have recently been brought back into political debates as automakers have lobbied the EU to relax CO2 standards. A proposed ban on sales of new internal combustion vehicles in 2035 has faced intense pressure from the automotive industry and resistance from member states with large automotive industries. Some senior officials have proposed PHEVs as a possible “compromise” option to include in the legislation. An independent energy policy expert, who was not involved with the research, called the report a “very useful addition” after years in which segments of the automotive industry claimed there was insufficient data to accurately assess real-world CO2 output. “These findings demonstrate, without question, that the difference in official and actual PHEV fuel consumption and CO2 output is significantly greater than for gasoline or conventional vehicles,” the expert said. “All policy changes concerning PHEVs should be made with extreme caution and considering this data.”