Real-world PHEV emissions run six times higher than official tests, study finds

Analysis of 2024 plug-in hybrid vehicles reveals a widening gap between manufacturer claims and actual on-road emissions, with regulators facing pressure to tighten testing standards to prevent consumer deception.

First covered Oct 14, 2026 · 4:31 PM PT · 2 articles · no longer in the live window

Real-world PHEV emissions run six times higher than official tests, study finds — Image via cleantechnica.com

Coverage

27d CleanTechnica Still Smoking: The PHEV Emissions Scandal Continues — Summary Analysis of official 2024 real-world data reveals that plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) continue to exhibit a widening gap between real-world…

27d CleanTechnica Misleading Plug-in Hybrid Emissions Figures Risk Cheating Consumers, T&E Warns — T&E urges governments to uphold the next correction of the PHEV CO2 accounting rules to drive PHEV improvements and avoid cheating consumers.

Primary sources

transportenvironment.org Misleading plug-in hybrid emissions figures risk cheating consumers,… — cited by 2 of the outlets above

cleantechnica.fundjournalism.org Contribute (cleantechnica.fundjournalism.org) — cited by 2 of the outlets above

mailchi.mp CleanTechnica Weekly Newsletter — cited by 2 of the outlets above

More coverage from around the web

transportenvironment.org Still smoking: the PHEV emissions scandal continues

thedriven.io "Greenwashing stunt:" Plug-in hybrids emit six times more than claimed, and are getting worse, study finds - The Driven IO

transportenvironment.org Plug-in hybrids emit six times, on average, what official tests…

insideevs.com Plug-In Hybrids Have An Emissions Problem. Carmakers Want To Delay The Fix

transportenvironment.org Misleading plug-in hybrid emissions figures risk cheating consumers,…

Appeared in: 2026-10-15 (#5)

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