EU Plug-in Hybrids Emit Six Times Official Ratings as Industry Fights 2027 Rule Changes
New data from 220,000 European vehicles reveals that plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) emit six times more CO2 in real-world driving than official laboratory tests suggest. While official ratings claim 24 grams of CO2 per kilometer, actual emissions reached 145 grams in 2024. This gap is widening as manufacturers lobby to cancel upcoming regulatory corrections that would align official figures with reality, potentially delaying the transition to fully electric vehicles.