Do Electric Cars Really Produce Zero Emissions Than Gas-Powered Cars?

EV manufacturers promote electric cars by a popular statement as “EVs are greener to the environment because they produce zero emissions, thus by buying EVs, you are contributing to a greener environment.” Although this statement is more or less true, as electric cars are more carbon-intensive than gas powered cars, they drive much cleaner and greener than ICE cars.

Battery powered cars do not emit greenhouse gases from tailpipes, but indirectly they contribute to carbon emissions in their process of manufacturing them and charging the vehicles.

Sergley Paltsev, Deputy director of the MIT Joint program working on the science and Policy of Global change has stated that, “Electric cars are not carbon free, however they produce lower-emissions than ICE cars, and over the course of time also, EVs will be sustainable and greener in operations than a normal gas powered car.”

How do EVs create Carbon Emissions?

The biggest source of carbon emissions from EVs is from the production of their most important component, creation of large lithium-ion batteries for electric cars. To manufacture the batteries, there is demand for Lithium, cobalt, and nickel which are important for the production of new EV batteries.

With the help of fossil fuels, these materials are mined and heated at high temperatures. This is called the process of intensive battery manufacturing. Thus building new EV can produce around 80% more emissions in comparison to build an entirely new gas-powered car.

To explain in easy words, Building a 80 kWh lithium-ion battery requires between 2.5 and 16 metric tons of CO2, and this is dependent on what energy source is used for heating.

Charging The Batteries: The other most important source from where EVs create emissions is from the energy used to charge their batteries. These emissions are based on where the car has been driven and what kind of energy the car has used there.

1. For example, Norway, which is Europe’s largest EV maker, is setting a great inspiration, as they are aware that the majority of the cars sold are EVs, so they have created a renewable energy source to charge their EVs.
2. Norway uses its majority of energy source from HydroPower, removing the main source of EVs carbon emissions.
3. The pollution from EVs is frequently more in countries which use dirty coal, hence EVs become a source of pollution because the energy generation is not from renewable sources.

EVs Emissions Compared with Gas Powered Vehicles

MIT conducted a recent study where they shared insights into the Future Mobility Study from 2019. The study was conducted between two similar models Toyota Camry, and Honda Clarity with their gasoline, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and fully electric versions.

These statistics clearly show that electric vehicles produce 3,932 lbs of CO2 emissions every year, while gasoline produces almost triple times more CO2 at 11,435 lbs of emissions per year. This means that a single gas powered car generates emissions which is equal to three EVs running in a year.

The MIT study even calculated in a comparison that EVs which lasted for only 90,000 miles remained better and efficient than a hybrid by 15% and far better when compared to an ICE vehicle.

Impact of Advancements in the Automotive Industry

Recent upgrades and innovations in internal combustion engines are making the engines more efficient and sustainable. The EV industry on the other hand is going through a revolutionarizing phase and will be developing as a mobility which would be even more sustainable than it is at the present moment.

MIT’s report concluded that new generation gas powered cars are generating less carbon emissions, from 350 grams of CO2 per mile to around 225 grams by the year 2050.

EVs: In the same timeline, emissions from the manufacturing of batteries will also drop to a considerable 125 grams, and in future even down to 50 grams, if the renewable energy sources are developed till then.

Recent studies by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) have shown that EVs generate fewer greenhouse gas emissions than combustion engines over their lifecycle by:

• 66%-69% in European countries
• 60%-68% in the United States
• 37-45% in China
• 19%-34% in India

Also the advancements in Solid State batteries could lead to a much better energy savings with fewer demand of resources during production. Meanwhile, innovative recycling techniques such as direct cathode have provided improvements in the battery systems.

Thus by looking at the studies and reports of comparisons, it is very necessary to decarbonize the electric grid, as once we get more and more clean sources of energy, the mobility will become more efficient and sustainable.