Are EVs better for the climate than traditional gasoline vehicles?
What about the impact of mining the materials for the batteries?
And if the electricity used to charge the car comes from fossil fuels, does that make them less sustainable?
Read on for the answers to all these questions, using the latest research so you can make an informed decision on how to live more sustainably. Let’s go!
Key Takeaways:
EVs Reduce Emissions Over Time: EVs generate fewer emissions than gasoline cars over their lifetime, except in rare cases of coal-only electricity
EVs Save Money: Lower fuel and maintenance costs make EVs cheaper in the long run
EVs Support Climate Action: Buying an EV reduces your carbon footprint and encourages more sustainable innovations
The Good: How EVs Reduce Emissions Over Time
When you drive a gasoline powered vehicle, carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are generated as the fuel is combusted in the engine which propels the car forward. Whenever the car’s engine is on, it’s burning fuel and generating CO2.
When you drive an electric vehicle, no CO2 is generated by the car since the car uses electricity to power it, just like how your phone doesn't create CO2 emissions directly. However, that electricity comes from somewhere: it could be renewable energy like wind or hydropower, or from fossil fuels like natural gas or coal.
If it comes from renewable energy, there are almost no carbon emissions generated so each mile you drive in your electric vehicle produces essentially no negative impact on the environment. But what about if the electricity is from fossil fuels?
To answer that, we can use a leading lifecycle assessment model from the U.S. Department of Energy1. Below are the results from that model which look at the emissions generated by driving a typical gasoline powered car (26 mpg), and a typical battery electric vehicle powered by either renewable electricity or fossil fuels.
It’s clear to see that driving an electric vehicle almost always has a lower carbon footprint than driving a gasoline powered car, except when it's powered entirely by electricity generated from coal (extremely unlikely).
You may be asking yourself: what about the emissions generated from making the battery? Isn’t that more intense than making a traditional gasoline car?
The Challenges: Emissions from Battery Production and Vehicle Manufacturing
Driving the vehicle isn’t the only way carbon emissions can be generated. Mining and producing materials to build the vehicle including the battery, tires, frame, oils/fluids, and other components, in addition to assembling also generate emissions.
Using the same model as above, we can evaluate the emissions of manufacturing a typical car and compare those with the emissions generated while building a battery electric vehicle including producing the battery.
As seen in the chart above, battery electric vehicles do generate more emissions than a typical gasoline vehicle. This is mostly due to the battery within the electric vehicle.
This is a challenge for the EV industry and they are improving their methods and battery technologies which may reduce the emissions generated in future vehicles, but for now, it is more carbon intensive to produce an EV than a gasoline powered vehicle.
Putting it all together: EV and gasoline vehicle lifecycle emissions
So how green are electric vehicles when looking at the entire lifecycle: from mining resources, manufacturing the vehicle, driving it over its lifetime, and disposing of it?
The figure below shows the result of comparing all parts of the lifecycle of a typical vehicle compared with a battery electric vehicle powered by either green electricity, a typical electricity source (a mix of renewables and fossil fuels), and a fossil fuel only mix (natural gas or coal).
From this figure, we can see that battery electric vehicles are better for the climate most of the time.
The only situation where an EV is not better for the environment is when coal is used to generate 100% of the electricity used to charge the car. This is not realistic since most electricity in the United States is generated from a mix of renewable and lower-carbon emission sources and cuts the carbon footprint of driving nearly in half.
Additionally, over the next 10-15 years of driving the car, more solar and wind will be added to the U.S. electricity grid, further decreasing the electricity grid’s emissions.
EVs are Also Better for Your Wallet
Beyond the positive climate impact, electric vehicles can often be cheaper than the comparable gasoline powered vehicle. Recent research from the National Renewable Energy Lab has shown that individuals are likely to save over $7,700 over the lifetime of the vehicle from fuel cost savings alone2.
Adding this to spending less on car maintenance (like no oil changes) means you can likely save money as long as the EV you buy doesn’t cost $7,700 more than the alternative gasoline powered car.
Plus, if you are an Aspiration customer, you’ll get up to 6% cash back on your public EV charging when using your Aspiration debit card, further reducing your potential charging costs.*
Is it more sustainable to drive my current car or buy an EV?
It’s almost always more sustainable to upgrade to an EV rather than continuing to drive a typical gasoline powered car. Here’s why:
Continuing to drive a gasoline powered car generates 406 grams of CO2e each mile you drive (first chart)
Buying and driving an EV will generate about 230 grams of CO2e (last chart). This includes the GHG emissions associated with making the EV
So unless you are powering your EV with 100% coal electricity, you can feel confident that your EV purchase is helping the planet.
Real-World Impact: How EV Adoption Supports Climate Goals
Beyond just lowering your carbon footprint, buying an EV tells companies that individuals care about the climate and they should make more electric vehicles.
Just like how Aspiration’s Green Marketplace helps individuals find more climate-friendly products and support businesses tackling climate change, buying an EV helps individuals contribute to a larger shift in consumer demand to help fight climate change.
Lastly, when buying a car, consider that you may have the car for 10 or 15 years. How will you feel about your car in 2030? 2035? Buying a car today can support or undermine your personal carbon footprint goals over many years.
Conclusion
Buying and driving an electric vehicle is better for the climate than buying a typical gasoline powered vehicle in most realistic situations. Making electric vehicles can be very carbon intensive, but emissions are saved when the vehicle is driven which allows individuals to reduce their climate impact over time.
Adding to the climate benefit, owning an electric vehicle can save you money over a gasoline powered vehicle. Plus you can earn up to 6% cash back rewards when using your Aspiration debit card for EV charging.
It's just one way we like to thank you for being part of the climate solution!
References
1. Wang, M., Cai, H., Ou, L., Elgowainy, A., Alam, M.R., Benavides, P., Benvenutti, L., Burnham, A., Do, T., Farhad, M., et al. (2024). Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Technologies Model ® (2024 Excel). (Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)). https://www.osti.gov/doecode/biblio/148070
2. Borlaug, B., Salisbury, S., Gerdes, M., and Muratori, M. (2020). Levelized Cost of Charging Electric Vehicles in the United States. Joule 4, 1470–1485. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2020.05.013.
*Aspiration’s Cash Back program is subject to change at any time and without notice, including reversal of rewards for abuse, fraud, and other illicit activity. Aspiration account holders earn 3% cash back on purchases at brands in the Green Marketplace. Aspiration Plus account holders earn 6% cash back.