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Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles Emit Nearly as Much as Gasoline Cars, Study Finds
PHEVs produce almost 5x greater global warming pollution than lab-reported figures indicate, as per a new report.
Growing Discrepancy In Lab and Real-World Emissions
Data reveals that PHEVs emit only 19% less CO2 than conventional petrol and diesel vehicles, according to research conducted by a non-profit organization. That differs sharply with laboratory tests, which suggested a 75% decrease in pollution.
Researchers studied data from onboard fuel consumption monitors of eight hundred thousand cars registered in the EU from 2021 and 2023. The team discovered that actual CO2 output from PHEVs in 2023 were nearly five times higher than official estimates, increased from 3.5 times in 2021.
“Actual emissions are rising, while lab-reported emissions are falling,” said a lead analyst involved in the study. “That gap is widening and poses a serious problem. As a result, PHEVs emit nearly as much as petrol cars.”
Key Factors Driving the Emissions Gap
Analysts attributed the majority of the gap to inflated estimates of the “utility factor” – the ratio of miles driven in battery power relative to overall mileage. The team found that only a quarter of driving was done in electric mode, whereas official estimates assumed over four-fifths.
Even, when running in electric mode, pollution levels were well above lab estimates. This occurred because EV motors were insufficiently powerful enough to function independently, leading to engines using gasoline for nearly a third of the travel completed in EV mode.
Policy and Economic Consequences
Based on estimates, the lowballing of PHEV CO2 output allowed four large automaker companies to avoid over €5bn in fines between 2021 and 2023, by artificially easing compliance with EU fleet-average CO2 standards.
Furthermore, drivers of PHEVs would spend about €500 more annually in operating expenses than is assumed under lab tests.
“The bold claims that automakers like to make about their plug-in hybrid cars are clearly way off the truth,” commented a transport expert. “Buyers are being duped into thinking that by buying a PHEV, they are helping the environment and cutting costs. Actually, PHEVs are only slightly improved than standard petrol and diesel vehicles in terms of energy use, CO2 production, and running expenses.”
Political Discussion and Industry Pressure
Hybrid vehicles have lately been brought back into policy discussions as carmakers have lobbied the European Union to relax CO2 standards. A planned ban on new internal combustion vehicles in 2035 has faced intense lobbying from the car sector and resistance from member states with large automotive manufacturing.
Some senior officials have proposed PHEVs as a potential “compromise” solution to include in the legislation.
An independent energy economics specialist, who was unaffiliated with the study, described the report a “highly valuable contribution” after a long period in which parts of the automotive sector claimed there was too little data to accurately assess real-world CO2 output.
“These findings show, without question, that the difference between lab and real-world PHEV fuel consumption and CO2 output is much, much greater than for petrol or conventional cars,” the expert said. “Any regulatory adjustments concerning PHEVs should be made with extreme care and in the light of that data.”
Laurie Jackson
A passionate writer and educator dedicated to helping others find their voice through creative expression and storytelling.
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