CO₂ Emissions from Conventional and Electric Vehicles
Understanding the Impact
Explore the environmental impact of conventional vehicles compared to electric ones. Discover how switching to electric can significantly reduce CO₂ emissions.
The Significance of CO₂ Emissions
Internal combustion vehicles are a major contributor to air pollution and CO₂ emissions causing climate change. Understanding the differences in emissions between traditional and electric vehicles is crucial for making informed decisions about our transportation choices.
Electric vehicles (EVs) are increasingly seen as a vital component in the global strategy to combat climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, the CO₂ impact of EVs is a complex topic that involves several factors throughout the vehicle’s lifecycle.
Electric vehicles produce no CO₂ emissions while driving, but they have an indirect impact of CO₂ which is influenced by manufacturing and electricity consumption.
By comparing the emissions of traditional and electric vehicles, we can better understand the potential benefits of transitioning to electric transportation. This comparison highlights the importance of adopting cleaner technologies to protect our environment.
This page contains data driven visualizations that highlight the carbon intensity of electricity production and the “break even” point of CO₂ emissions between conventional and electric vehicles.
Visualizing the Impact
Notes
Some countries rely so heavily on carbon-intensive electricity production (primarily coal), that a break-even point cannot be calculated given our assumptions above. That means that driving an EV in these countries is actually more carbon intensive than driving a modern, fairly efficient ICE vehicle. These countries include: Serbia, Poland, Kosovo, Russia, North Macedonia, Moldova.
Counter to current automobile manufacturing trends, significant efficiency improvements can also be made by simplifying and downsizing the average vehicle, since on average, a 10% reduction in vehicle weight, results in a 6-7% improvement in fuel efficiency, meaning that a 1300 kg car consuming 5 l/100 km, if its mass was reduced to 750 km would consume only 3.38l/100 km with the same engine [1]
This indirect CO₂ impact of EVs and consequently their break-even point with ICE vehicles is bound to improve with the further decarbonisation of the electrical grid which is underway using either hydropower, renewables or nuclear or even just less carbon-heavy fossil fuels, such as natural gas (mainly methane) which produces roughly half the CO₂ per energy unit extracted than brown coal [2]
Although CO₂ emissions per driven kilometre have come down significantly over the years because of efficiency improvements in internal combustion engines [3], EVs can further lower emissions significantly, but this depends largely on the nature of electricity generation where they are being charged[4].
Discover More
Explore our next page to see the link between air pollution from conventional vehicles and public health. Learn how making the switch can benefit not only the environment but also public health.