E-cars: positive environmental balance despite coal-based electricity?!
After criticism because of the actual involvement of fossil fuels in the manufacturing and charging processes, a study shows that electric cars are still much cleaner than combustion engines - with potential to become even greener.
The environmental performance of electric cars is often questioned. The manufacturing process for the batteries is too energy-intensive, resources for them are scarce and when the cars hit the road, they are often charged with coal-fired electricity - these are the main points in the eyes of many critics. In 2019, a study even concluded that under these conditions, a car with a diesel engine could be cleaner than a comparable electric car. Now, a recently published study by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) proves that e-cars do have by far the lowest emissions of all motor vehicles.
The ICCT evaluation took into account various factors that can influence pollutant emissions over the entire operating life of the vehicle - from the extraction of raw materials to the recycling of car components. Data was collected from the European, US, Chinese and Indian markets, as these regions account for around 70 per cent of total global new car sales.
Cars with electric motors are significantly more environmentally friendly than diesel and petrol cars in all the sales regions studied. For example, the greatest difference in emissions can be seen in the European Union. Here, a medium-sized electric car produces between 66 and 69 percent less carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases than a comparable combustion engine. The USA follows with a similar order of magnitude - with an emissions difference of 60 to 68 percent. Instead, the figures are lower in the Indian and Chinese markets, where electric cars contribute to a maximum reduction in harmful emissions of 34 to 45 percent. For plug-in hybrids, on the other hand, the difference to internal combustion engines is only around 20 percent.
The study also predicts a further increase in the emission benefits of such vehicles. As a greater share of renewable energy sources is to be applied to power generation in the coming years. "The results underline the importance of decarbonising the electricity grid alongside the electrification of vehicles," explains Peter Mock, ICCT Managing Director responsible for Europe. Because if countries and cities were able - as actually planned in view of the climate goals of many governments - to convert the power supply to greener energy mixes, electric vehicles can show their true environmental potential. According to ICCT estimates, by 2039 the emissions benefits could be 77 per cent in the EU and the US, for example.
Whether the study's data will remain mere predictions or become reality remains to be seen. It is clear, however, that e-mobility will require further measures to become established. To promote it and thus intervene more strictly in pollutant emissions, new environmental zones could be created - even in countries where they have not yet found a place. At the same time, the environment could benefit from additions and stricter regulations to the already active environmental zones. After all, the traffic of e-cars is basically allowed in such areas. However, if there were clear differences between the fossil footprints of different electric vehicles, it could be a good idea in the future to ban some e-cars and especially plug-in hybrids from the environmental zones through stricter regulations.