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Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles emit almost 5x more planet-heating pollution than official figures indicate, as per a new report.

Widening Gap In Lab and Real-World Emissions

Statistics reveals that PHEVs emit only 19% less CO₂ than traditional gas and diesel cars, based on research conducted by a advocacy group. This differs sharply with lab tests, which suggested a three-quarters reduction in pollution.

Researchers studied data from onboard fuel consumption meters of eight hundred thousand cars sold in Europe between 2021 and 2023. The team discovered that real-world CO₂ emissions from PHEVs in 2023 were 4.9 times greater than official figures, up from 3.5 times in 2021.

“Actual emissions are increasing, while official emissions are decreasing,” stated a lead researcher involved in the study. “This gap is widening and poses a serious issue. Consequently, PHEVs pollute nearly as heavily as gasoline cars.”

Primary Reasons Driving the Emissions Gap

Researchers linked most of the gap to inflated estimates of the “electric driving share” – the ratio of kilometers travelled in battery mode relative to overall mileage. The team found that just 27% of travel was completed in electric mode, while lab assumptions suggested over four-fifths.

Even, when running in EV mode, emission amounts were significantly higher than lab projections. This happened because EV motors were not strong sufficient to operate independently, leading to combustion motors using fossil fuels for nearly one-third of the distance completed in EV mode.

Regulatory and Economic Consequences

Based on calculations, the lowballing of PHEV CO2 output allowed four major automaker companies to avoid over €5bn in penalties from 2021 and 2023, by falsely simplifying adherence with European Union average fleet CO₂ standards.

Additionally, owners of PHEVs would pay about €500 more annually in operating expenses than would be assumed under laboratory tests.

“The bold statements that manufacturers often promote about their PHEV cars are clearly far from the mark,” stated a automotive expert. “Buyers are being misled into believing that by purchasing a PHEV, they are benefiting the environment and cutting costs. In reality, PHEVs are only slightly better than regular gas and diesel vehicles in terms of energy consumption, CO₂ emissions, and running expenses.”

Policy Debate and Automotive Lobbying

Hybrid vehicles have recently been brought again into policy discussions as automakers have lobbied the European Union to weaken CO₂ standards. A proposed prohibition on sales of new internal combustion cars in 2035 has faced heavy pressure from the car sector and opposition from EU countries with significant automotive industries.

Several high-level officials have suggested plug-in hybrids as a potential “compromise” option to include in the regulation.

An external energy policy expert, who was not involved with the research, called the analysis a “highly valuable contribution” after years in which parts of the automotive industry argued there was too little information to properly assess real-world CO2 output.

“The results show, beyond any doubt, that the difference in official and actual PHEV fuel consumption and CO₂ output is significantly larger than for gasoline or conventional cars,” the expert said. “Any regulatory adjustments concerning PHEVs should be implemented with utmost caution and considering this evidence.”