"A scathing new study has found that some of the world's largest automakers avoided billions of dollars in European Union emissions penalties due to the shortcomings of the WLTP testing procedures. Flaws in the WLTP testing systemshort for Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicles Test Procedureallowed automakers to sell more than a million fewer EVs in Europe between 2021 and 2023 than they otherwise would have had to produce."
"Instead, automakers boosted sales of plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) that drivers rarely charged, resulting in millions of additional tonnes of planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions that could have been avoided otherwise. The flaws didn't just inflate emissions; they also hit drivers' wallets, adding up to $1,100 a year in extra fuel costs as many PHEV owners relied on gasoline or diesel instead of charging up."
"Photo by: Transport & Environment (T&E) Europe's clean transportation advocacy group, Transport & Environment, published the study on Thursday, highlighting how the official emissions estimates for several PHEVs from Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen and BMW under WLTP were significantly lower than their real-world emissions. T&E said WLTP's fleet CO2 emissions allowed automakers to comply with targets far more easily. This resulted in 52 million tonnes more CO2 emissions between 2021 and 2023."
WLTP testing produced overly optimistic emissions estimates for many plug-in hybrids, enabling automakers to meet fleet CO2 targets without producing as many EVs. Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen and BMW accounted for the largest share of compliance benefits, collectively saving nearly $6.5 billion in avoided penalties by selling more PHEVs between 2021 and 2023. Many PHEV drivers rarely charged their vehicles, increasing real-world fuel consumption and adding up to $1,100 in extra annual fuel costs for some drivers. The shift from EVs to PHEVs caused about 52 million tonnes of additional CO2 emissions during 2021–2023.
Read at insideevs.com
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