Written by Louis Sumner
There’s been a fair bit of discourse in the motoring world on whether electric vehicles (EVs) are the solution to our increased environmental worries and finite supply of fossil fuels. While many see EVs as the key to reducing emissions, die-hard petrolheads and motoring purists remain sceptical. Some even argue that switching to electric could be worse for the planet!
So, what’s the truth? Are EVs genuinely the greener choice, or is there more to their impact than meets the environmental eye? Let’s dive in and separate fact from fiction.
Do electric vehicles create less emissions than petrol and diesel
Yes, though it’s not a simple answer. Calculating the exact carbon footprint of any vehicle is complex, as you need to take into account the embedded carbon from its manufacturing as well as its on-the-road emissions.
The ugly truth is that any kind of car is going to create emissions. Ores and metals have to be extracted from the ground and then assembled in a factory. Rubber also needs to be sourced for the tyres, and plastic for the interior. All of this is then transported across the world to be assembled in a factory.
EVs require significantly more lithium, cobalt, and nickel than petrol and diesel cars due to the demands of battery production. Mining these materials can have serious environmental consequences, including water contamination and air pollution. Lithium extraction, for example, is a water-intensive process, often depleting local water supplies and affecting ecosystems in mining regions.
So, with this in mind, how are EVs better for the environment than petrol and diesel? You’ve got to look at the lifespan of the vehicle.
EVs are not burdened with the carbon footprint of driving a petrol or diesel car, as they have ZERO tailpipe emissions. Traditional vehicles rely on internal combustion engines (ICE), which burn fossil fuels and release carbon dioxide (CO₂) into the atmosphere. Climate researcher Mike Berners-Lee claims that EVs can be considered ‘half and carbon-unfriendly’ as petrol cars over their lifespan.
So, while no vehicle is completely emissions-free, EVs offer a significantly lower carbon footprint over their lifetime.
What about Hybrid vehicles?
If we’re comparing emissions between electric and ICE, what happens when we meet in the middle with a hybrid vehicle? Well, if you primarily drive a hybrid using its electric power rather than the combustion engine, it can be a significantly greener option compared to a petrol or diesel car. However, since hybrids combine an electric battery with a conventional fuel engine, running the vehicle entirely on fossil fuels would result in emissions similar to those of a traditional ICE.
It’s also important to note that not all hybrids are the same. Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) offer a greater electric driving range than self-charging hybrids, meaning they can be a slightly greener choice, depending on how often you charge them and how you drive.
Hybrids are certainly a step in the right direction, but with a looming ZEV mandate for vehicle manufactures and a 2050 Net-Zero target, the UK government and its experts have made clear that fully electric is the future.
What other environmental benefits do EVs bring?
The absence of tailpipe emissions isn’t the only environmental benefit going for EVs. Petrol and diesel cars release harmful pollutants such as carbon monoxide, which degrades the quality of air and presents major health hazards, particularly in built-up areas.
Cities with a high concentration of EVs, such as Oslo and Amsterdam, have already reported improvements in air quality as a result of reduced reliance on petrol and diesel.
EVs also help tackle noise pollution. Unlike traditional cars, which have noisy engines and exhaust systems, EVs operate almost silently. They do produce a slight hum to accommodate the blind and animals, but it’s a nice escape from the constant revving and braking that we’re used to. This is beneficial in densely populated areas and especially beneficial if your neighbour likes to go on midnight drives.
Will an increase in EVs on the roads affect the National Grid?
More EVs on the road means a greater electricity demand, and some have voiced their concerns over the impact this will have on the UK’s National Grid. The reality is that electricity demand has decreased by 16% in the last few years! Partly thanks to more energy-efficient measures like solar and wind power.
By the time most vehicles on the road are electric, the UK will have significantly expanded its renewable energy capacity, including offshore wind, to support its Net-Zero target. Even if every car switched to electric overnight, the National Grid estimates that EV charging would only increase electricity demand by around 10%, which is a more than manageable rise in the grid’s capacity.
Won’t the need for electricity create more emissions?
While EVs produce no emissions while driving, the electricity required to charge them must come from somewhere, and generating that electricity inevitably results in some emissions. However, when comparing the emissions from running a combustion engine vehicle to those from generating electricity for an EV, the key factor to consider is energy efficiency.
What does this mean? Essentially, it’s about how much of the energy we put into our cars is actually used for motion. Traditional ICE vehicles waste approximately 80% of the energy in their fuel, whereas EVs waste only about 11%. Even the large power plants generating electricity are significantly more efficient than petrol-powered vehicles. In fact, a coal-burning power plant (of which none are operating in the UK due to their inefficiency) is STILL less wasteful than an ICE vehicle!
And this is before even factoring in renewable energy sources. Since EVs don’t rely on burning fuel to generate motion, they significantly reduce overall energy consumption. Less energy is needed simply because far less is wasted.
The road ahead
That’s the truth. On any realistic, like-for-like comparison, EVs have a lower environmental impact than petrol or diesel cars. While producing and charging EVs still generates emissions, particularly when fossil fuels are used in manufacturing and electricity generation, their overall carbon footprint is significantly smaller than that of inefficient ICEs.
EVs may not be the silver bullet that eliminates your environmental woes, but they represent a significant step toward a cleaner, more sustainable transportation system.
