How EVs compare to gas cars on emissions over their total lifespan
[url]https://www.theglobeandmail.com/drive/mobility/article-how-evs-compare-to-gas-cars-on-emissions-over-their-total-lifespan/[/url]
With electric vehicles gaining more range, mostly owing to larger batteries, some critics contend that EVs are worse for the environment than gas-powered ones.
One of the claims is that battery electric vehicles (BEVs) produce nearly as much greenhouse gases as gas cars over their lifespans – if you include the emissions from mining minerals to make batteries.
But, if you compare a BEV to a gas car over its whole life – from mining for materials to recycling the car once it’s off the road – a BEV is responsible for a third, or less, emissions than a gas vehicle, multiple studies show.
“It’s true that [BEVs] are more energy intensive to manufacture because of the batteries,” said Joanna Kyriazis, Ottawa-based director of public affairs with Clean Energy Canada, an energy think tank at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, B.C. “But because they have no tailpipe emissions, they very quickly break even [on CO2] emissions and then come out ahead of gas vehicles.”
A 2022 study from Ford Motors and the University of Michigan ([url]https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en/news/2022/03/04/new-study-finds-greater-greenhouse-gas-reductions-for-pickup-tru.html[/url]) found that light-duty BEVs, which include sedans, SUVs and pickup trucks, rack up 64 per cent less in greenhouse gas emissions over their lifespan than gas vehicles.
A 2021 study by the International Council on Clean Transportation ([url]https://theicct.org/publication/a-global-comparison-of-the-life-cycle-greenhouse-gas-emissions-of-combustion-engine-and-electric-passenger-cars/[/url]) found that emissions over the lifetime of average medium-size BEVs registered today are considerably lower than comparable gasoline cars – by 66 to 69 per cent in Europe and 60 to 68 per cent in the United States.
But the batteries in BEVs do pose some different environmental risks than gas and diesel vehicles. For instance, we’ll need to expand lithium mining to meet battery demand and we’ll also need to ensure that batteries are properly recycled at the end of their useful lives.
“People are right to make sure that this new technology lives up to the hype,” said Cedric Smith, director of transportation with Pollution Probe, a Toronto-based environmental non-profit. “That being said, every study I’ve seen shows that BEVs are far better for the environment.”
Breaking even?
So, how long does a BEV have to be on the road before it accounts for less overall emissions than a gas-powered car?
That Ford study found that BEVs break even after up to 1.3 years for sedans, 1.6 years for SUVs and 1.3 years for pickup trucks, “based on the average U.S. grid and [average] vehicle miles travelled.”
A 2021 Reuters analysis ([url]https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/when-do-electric-vehicles-become-cleaner-than-gasoline-cars-2021-06-29/[/url]) of data from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory ([url]https://www.energy.gov/eere/vehicles/articles/fotw-1303-august-14-2023-cradle-grave-electric-vehicles-have-fewer[/url]) in Chicago showed that a BEV will have to drive about 21,725 kilometres before it comes out ahead of a gas car.
[url]https://www.theglobeandmail.com/drive/mobility/article-how-evs-compare-to-gas-cars-on-emissions-over-their-total-lifespan/[/url]
With electric vehicles gaining more range, mostly owing to larger batteries, some critics contend that EVs are worse for the environment than gas-powered ones.
One of the claims is that battery electric vehicles (BEVs) produce nearly as much greenhouse gases as gas cars over their lifespans – if you include the emissions from mining minerals to make batteries.
But, if you compare a BEV to a gas car over its whole life – from mining for materials to recycling the car once it’s off the road – a BEV is responsible for a third, or less, emissions than a gas vehicle, multiple studies show.
“It’s true that [BEVs] are more energy intensive to manufacture because of the batteries,” said Joanna Kyriazis, Ottawa-based director of public affairs with Clean Energy Canada, an energy think tank at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, B.C. “But because they have no tailpipe emissions, they very quickly break even [on CO2] emissions and then come out ahead of gas vehicles.”
A 2022 study from Ford Motors and the University of Michigan ([url]https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en/news/2022/03/04/new-study-finds-greater-greenhouse-gas-reductions-for-pickup-tru.html[/url]) found that light-duty BEVs, which include sedans, SUVs and pickup trucks, rack up 64 per cent less in greenhouse gas emissions over their lifespan than gas vehicles.
A 2021 study by the International Council on Clean Transportation ([url]https://theicct.org/publication/a-global-comparison-of-the-life-cycle-greenhouse-gas-emissions-of-combustion-engine-and-electric-passenger-cars/[/url]) found that emissions over the lifetime of average medium-size BEVs registered today are considerably lower than comparable gasoline cars – by 66 to 69 per cent in Europe and 60 to 68 per cent in the United States.
But the batteries in BEVs do pose some different environmental risks than gas and diesel vehicles. For instance, we’ll need to expand lithium mining to meet battery demand and we’ll also need to ensure that batteries are properly recycled at the end of their useful lives.
“People are right to make sure that this new technology lives up to the hype,” said Cedric Smith, director of transportation with Pollution Probe, a Toronto-based environmental non-profit. “That being said, every study I’ve seen shows that BEVs are far better for the environment.”
Breaking even?
So, how long does a BEV have to be on the road before it accounts for less overall emissions than a gas-powered car?
That Ford study found that BEVs break even after up to 1.3 years for sedans, 1.6 years for SUVs and 1.3 years for pickup trucks, “based on the average U.S. grid and [average] vehicle miles travelled.”
A 2021 Reuters analysis ([url]https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/when-do-electric-vehicles-become-cleaner-than-gasoline-cars-2021-06-29/[/url]) of data from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory ([url]https://www.energy.gov/eere/vehicles/articles/fotw-1303-august-14-2023-cradle-grave-electric-vehicles-have-fewer[/url]) in Chicago showed that a BEV will have to drive about 21,725 kilometres before it comes out ahead of a gas car.
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