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Plug in Hybrid Cars Pollute Nearly as Much as Petrol Cars, Report Reveals
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles release almost five times more planet-heating pollution than official figures indicate, according to a recent report.
Widening Discrepancy Between Lab and Real-World Emissions
Data shows that PHEVs release just 19% lower CO2 than traditional gas and diesel vehicles, based on research carried out by a non-profit organization. That differs sharply with lab estimates, which suggested a three-quarters decrease in emissions.
Analysts examined information from onboard energy use monitors of 800,000 vehicles registered in Europe from 2021 and 2023. The team found that real-world CO2 output from PHEVs in 2023 were 4.9 times higher than official estimates, up from three and a half times in 2021.
“Real-world emissions are increasing, while official figures are falling,” stated a senior researcher involved in the report. “This gap is growing and poses a serious issue. As a result, PHEVs emit almost as heavily as gasoline vehicles.”
Primary Reasons Behind the Discrepancy
Researchers attributed the majority of the difference to inflated estimates of the “utility factor” – the percentage of kilometers travelled in battery mode relative to total mileage. They found that just a quarter of travel was completed in electric mode, whereas lab assumptions assumed over four-fifths.
Additionally, when operating in EV mode, emission amounts were significantly higher than lab projections. This occurred because electric motors were not strong sufficient to operate alone, leading to combustion motors burning fossil fuels for nearly one-third of the travel covered in EV mode.
Regulatory and Financial Implications
According to estimates, the underestimation of PHEV CO2 output allowed several large automaker companies to avoid over €5bn in fines between 2021 and 2023, by falsely simplifying adherence with EU fleet-average CO2 standards.
Furthermore, owners of PHEVs would pay about €500 extra annually in running costs than is assumed under lab tests.
“The bold statements that manufacturers often promote about their plug-in hybrid vehicles are clearly far from the truth,” stated a automotive analyst. “Consumers are being duped into thinking that by purchasing a PHEV, they are helping the environment and cutting costs. Actually, PHEVs are little improved than standard petrol and diesel vehicles in terms of fuel use, CO2 emissions, and running costs.”
Political Debate and Automotive Pressure
Plug-in hybrid vehicles have recently been drawn again into policy debates as carmakers have pressed the EU to relax CO2 standards. A planned prohibition on new internal combustion vehicles in 2035 has faced heavy lobbying from the car sector and opposition from member states with large car manufacturing.
Several senior politicians have proposed PHEVs as a possible “compromise” option to introduce in the legislation.
An external energy economics expert, who was unaffiliated with the research, called the analysis a “highly valuable contribution” after years in which parts of the automotive sector argued there was insufficient data to properly evaluate actual emissions.
“These findings demonstrate, without question, that the gap in lab and real-world PHEV energy use and CO2 output is much, much larger than for gasoline or diesel cars,” they said. “All policy changes concerning PHEVs should be implemented with utmost care and considering this data.”
Denise Alvarez
A professional gambler and strategy analyst with over a decade of experience in casino games, specializing in roulette techniques and probability theory.
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