The advancement of electric vehicles is inextricably linked to environmental conservation. Many people also wonder whether these vehicles actually emit as little pollutants as their manufacturers promise, and some even maintain that they are not greener than conventional automobiles. Do you believe that electric cars will be more environmentally beneficial than fuel vehicles when all carbon emissions from the production of batteries, automobiles, and transportation to retirement are taken into account?
First of all, the answer is that, in most cases, electric vehicles do emit less carbon dioxide than fuel-powered vehicles—roughly 50% less. However, are electric cars really emission-free? The answer is No. Do electric vehicles have a better environmental record? Maybe. If you disagree with this conclusion, you can exit the page at this time. If you want to know more, keep reading.
Tesla model 3 v.s. Toyota RAV4
The University of Toronto study examined the carbon emissions from manufacturing and motoring for two industries that rule the market. Tesla Model 3 unquestionably leads the electric car market in terms of sales, whereas Toyota RAV4 is the most widely-sold conventional automobile.
The Model 3 actually emits more carbon dioxide during production than the RAV4 does, with a Model 3 producing roughly 12.3 tons of greenhouse gases compared to 7.5 tons for the RAV4. This is due to the fact that a substantial amount of metals are needed in battery modules, and processing numerous metals produces 65% more carbon emissions than driving a fuel-powered vehicle.
The electric car starts to catch up, though, after on road. The difference between the two has greatly shrunk after traveling 10,000 kilometers. Gasoline for motor vehicles is produced by refining crude oil that is imported from all over the world. When changing the engine oil (the original factory advises 4 liters), another refined oil product is used.
The conversion efficiency and pollution control of power plants are significantly superior to those of automobiles, and the growing share of renewable energy each year also lowers carbon emissions per kWh, even though some of the electricity used by electric vehicles comes from fossil fuels.
Overall, the carbon emissions produced by the Tesla Model 3 are roughly 34% lower per mile than those of the RA4, and their combined carbon emissions will be equal after about 32,000 kilometers.
The claim that electric vehicles have low carbon emissions can be disproved if you purchase a Model 3, drive 30,000 kilometers in it, and then scrap it. However, the typical driver won’t do that, therefore the claim will still hold.
Carbon footprint comparison
| RAV4 (Ton) | Mileage(km) | MODEL3 (Ton) |
| 12.3 | 0 | 7.5 |
| 13 | 10000 | 9.6 |
| 14.7 | 32000 | 14.7 |
| 21 | 120000 | 34 |
| 35 | 320000 | 76 |
Depending on the power source of the electric vehicle, the carbon emissions of the RAV4 will continue to differ from those of the Model 3 as the driving range increases. If the electricity at the charging site is generated using hydroelectricity or renewable energy, the carbon emissions will be lower, and this study is based on the typical carbon emissions of electricity generation in the United States.
Last but not least, the RAV4 emits roughly 76 tons of carbon dioxide when the range hits 200,000 miles (320,000 kilometers), which is the typical annual mileage of American car owners. The Model 3 emits only 35 tons, which is about half as much as the RAV4.
As a point of reference, average carbon emission per kWh would be 0.5 kilos. According to the US average, each liter of gasoline produced (from the well to the tank) results in the emission of 0.505 kg of carbon dioxide. 2.3 kg of carbon dioxide are created for every litre of gasoline burnt in the engine.
Additionally, the carbon emissions produced by recycling fuel-powered vehicles and recycling electric vehicles are, in fact, nearly equal at 0.9 tons each.
Read more: Secrets Of Battery Recycling Operation Shows How Lithium Is Recycled ≡ Know99
Although they are not perfect, electric cars can nevertheless reduce carbon emissions
Any type of vehicle will hurt the environment; even so-called zero emission electric vehicles still emit carbon dioxide. This is a fact that everyone should acknowledge right now. We cannot, however, overlook the fact that moving to electric vehicles will dramatically cut overall carbon emissions.
Importantly, the production of batteries for electric vehicles will be able to gradually reduce carbon emissions as scale and process advancements increase. Additionally, as more renewable energy is used, the total amount of carbon emissions produced by vehicles can be reduced even further, which is a development that cannot be made with fuel-powered vehicles.
More evidence is required if you continue to argue blindly that electric vehicles are not less efficient than fuel-powered vehicles in this massive paradigm change. We can all reasonably despise certain brands and laugh at certain innovations.