Hybrid cars emit five times more CO2 than tests show

Plugin hybrid electric vehicles pump out nearly five times more planet-heating pollution than official figures show, according to a report.

- Ajit Niranjan

The cars, which can run on electric batteries as well as fuel-burning engines, have been promoted by European carmakers as a way to drive long distances - unlike fully electric cars - while still reducing emissions.

But real-world data shows they emit just 19% less CO2 than petrol and diesel cars, an analysis by the nonprofit Transport and Environment has found. Under laboratory tests, they had been assumed to be 75% less polluting.

The researchers analysed data from onboard fuel consumption meters from 800,000 cars registered in Europe between 2021 and 2023. They found real-world emissions from plugin hybrid electrics vehicles (PHEVs) in 2023 were 4.9 times greater than those from standardised laboratory tests, up from 3.5 times greater in 2021.