Plug in Hybrid electric Cars Pollute Almost as Heavily as Gasoline Cars, Study Finds
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles produce almost five times greater planet-heating pollution than lab-reported data show, as per a recent report.
Widening Gap In Lab and Real-World CO2 Output
Statistics reveals that PHEVs release only one-fifth less CO2 than traditional petrol and diesel vehicles, based on research carried out by a non-profit group. That contrasts sharply with laboratory estimates, which assumed a 75% reduction in emissions.
Researchers examined information from onboard fuel consumption meters of eight hundred thousand cars registered in Europe between 2021 and 2023. They discovered that actual CO2 output from PHEVs in 2023 were 4.9 times higher than official figures, increased from 3.5 times in 2021.
“Actual CO2 output are increasing, while official figures are falling,” stated a senior researcher participating in the study. “This gap is growing and poses a significant problem. Consequently, PHEVs pollute almost as heavily as gasoline vehicles.”
Primary Factors Behind the Emissions Gap
Researchers attributed the majority of the difference to inflated estimates of the “utility factor” – the ratio of miles travelled in battery mode relative to overall mileage. The team found that just a quarter of travel was done in EV mode, while lab assumptions suggested 84%.
Even, when operating in electric mode, emission amounts were significantly higher than lab estimates. This occurred because EV motors were not strong enough to operate independently, leading to engines burning gasoline for almost one-third of the distance completed in electric mode.
Regulatory and Financial Consequences
According to estimates, the underestimation of PHEV emissions allowed several major carmaker groups to avoid over €5bn in fines between 2021 and 2023, by artificially simplifying adherence with EU average fleet CO2 targets.
Additionally, owners of PHEVs would pay approximately €500 more per year in operating costs than is assumed under lab conditions.
“The bold statements that manufacturers like to make about their plug-in hybrid vehicles are obviously way off the mark,” stated a automotive analyst. “Consumers are being duped into thinking that by buying a PHEV, they are benefiting the environment and saving costs. Actually, PHEVs are only slightly better than standard gas and diesel cars in terms of fuel consumption, CO2 production, and running costs.”
Policy Debate and Industry Lobbying
Hybrid vehicles have lately been drawn again into political debates as automakers have pressed the EU to weaken CO2 standards. A proposed prohibition on sales of new internal combustion cars in 2035 has faced heavy lobbying from the automotive industry and resistance from member states with significant automotive manufacturing.
Some senior officials have proposed PHEVs as a possible “compromise” solution to introduce in the regulation.
An external energy economics expert, who was unaffiliated with the study, called the report a “highly valuable contribution” after a long period in which parts of the automotive sector claimed there was too little data to properly evaluate real-world CO2 output.
“These findings show, beyond any doubt, that the gap between official and actual PHEV fuel consumption and CO2 emissions is significantly greater than for petrol or diesel cars,” they stated. “Any policy adjustments regarding PHEVs should be implemented with extreme care and in the light of that data.”
