It is often claimed that the electric vehicle is "clean", "zero emission", even "carbon neutral". Is this really the case? What is the real carbon footprint of an electric car?
In this article, we decode the environmental impacts and greenhouse gas emissions of these rechargeable cars... And this, throughout their lifecycle, from the extraction of rare metals to the end of life.
Above all, we help you select a mobility solution adapted to your challenges, and those of the climate.
Electric car, thermal or hybrid: their carbon footprint revealed!
1. The carbon footprint of an electric car
1.1 The myth of "clean" vehicles
You have certainly already heard that the electric car is "clean" or "zero emission". Yes? Then you have faced a fine example of greenwashing. In advertising, many pieces of information about these so-called low-carbon vehicles are omitted. The objective? To make you believe that you are responding to climate challenges by driving on electricity.
Which is not entirely the case, unfortunately!
- It is true, in use, fine particle emissions are limited. Air pollution being a public health issue, that is a good point!
- But it does not stop there: the carbon pollution of the battery car does not come from its use... But rather its production.
So, what is the carbon footprint of electric vehicles? The problem is that… it depends.
1.2 The carbon footprint of vehicles without gasoline
The greenhouse gas emissions of this means of transport depend on several points:
- the manufacturing and extraction methods of materials, in particular for the battery;
- the autonomy of the car, i.e. the size of the battery;
- the electricity used to recharge the car, its carbon footprint and its other pollutions.
On average, it is estimated that the electric car emits 100 g of CO2e per kilometer. The same model powered by gasoline emits 200 to 250 g CO2/km. That is twice as much!
1.3 An environmental performance to be nuanced
However, this carbon performance is to be nuanced.
- The low level of emissions is allowed by the decarbonized electricity used in France. In a country still giving a large share to coal, the benefits for the climate are much less evident.
- The pollution related to the electric car greatly depends on its autonomy. A heavier battery is necessary to drive for a long time without stopping. Its manufacture is all the more emitting greenhouse gases. From then on, electric SUVs and travel vehicles have a much less advantageous carbon footprint.
Moreover, talking about emissions per kilometer is omitting an important element: it is over the entire lifecycle of a piece of equipment that its real carbon impact can be calculated.
1.4 The life cycle analysis of an electric vehicle
The life cycle analysis makes it possible to visualize all the carbon emissions of a product, from its manufacture to its end of life. This method is used to calculate a rigorous balance sheet of greenhouse gas emissions.
For the electric vehicle, the main stages of the lifecycle and their pollutions are as follows.
- The extraction and processing of raw materials, in particular metals and rare earths (lithium, cobalt, nickel, manganese for the battery).
- The production of the vehicle and the battery. These first two steps account for 75% of the contribution to global warming on average, the production of the battery being able to represent up to 45% of the total.
- Usage: Fuel-free cars help improve air quality in cities.
- Electricity production used to recharge the battery: coal, nuclear, or renewable energies will not have the same environmental impacts!
- End of life. Some opportunities can be seized to reduce the carbon footprint of electric vehicles: battery reuse, material recycling, etc.
Over its entire life cycle, a city electric car would emit 12 tonnes of CO2e. (Source : FNH, 2016.) In 2030, this value could reach 8 tonnes of CO2e, thanks to the energy transition and the improvement of manufacturing processes.
2. Electric car, environment and climate: the challenges
2.1 Other environmental impacts of the rechargeable vehicle
The carbon footprint of electric vehicles seems advantageous.
But is climate the only issue affected by this so-called "green" mobility? No, unfortunately.
The main criticism of electric cars is based on the consumption of rare earths. Lithium, in particular, is part of the composition of batteries. But cobalt, nickel, and manganese are also exploited. These materials are today extracted and processed in so-called developing countries, under poor health and environmental conditions.
What are the problems?
- Depletion of local wildlife and flora, destruction of natural ecosystems due to polluting discharges.
- Social impacts due to unsanitary and dangerous working conditions, but also to effluents impacting local populations.
- Europe's dependence on Chinese extraction quarries for the supply of rare earths.
- Resource depletion: lithium, nickel, and manganese present a risk in terms of supply. As for cobalt, it could run out even faster. In general, at the current rate of mineral use, we will be able to produce digital equipment only until 2050. (Source : INR, 2020).
2.2 The carbon footprint of electric cars is decreasing
These carbon, social, and environmental impacts increase with the autonomy of the vehicle, that is to say the size of the battery. The consequences of a rapid increase in the electric car market could be dramatic... In any case, in the absence of particular attention to the conditions of extraction of raw materials.
Fortunately, another path exists.
Indeed, the carbon footprint of the manufacture of the electric vehicle could be reduced by 20 to 25 % between 2016 and 2030! How? Thanks to more efficient industrial processes:
- reasonable energy consumption;
- a low-carbon electricity mix;
- a global CSR approach of economic actors;
- relocation of battery production;
- etc.
Today, too often, the production of these devices is exported to China, where environmental standards are insufficient (or non-existent), or to countries where electricity is mostly produced from coal.
This should change with the Climate Plan! 2040 will mark the end of the sale of gasoline and diesel vehicles in France, according to the text set in July 2017 by the government. Automotive companies are therefore starting their transition, with the installation of battery production plants in France.
3. The carbon footprint of hybrid and thermal vehicles
It is interesting to know the carbon footprint of an electric car, but it is not enough. What you need to make the right choice is to be able to compare with other mobility options.
- Today, thermal vehicles are the most present on the roads… But also the most criticized for their carbon impact and fine pollution.
- Hybrid cars are often offered as an ideal compromise, combining the advantages of electric and thermal cars.
What about it really?
3.1 Greenhouse gas emissions from thermal cars
A thermal city car would have a carbon footprint of 32 t CO2e over the entire life cycle The CO2 footprint of a gasoline sedan would rise to nearly 45 t CO2e under the same assumptions!
- In France, with a decarbonized energy mix, an electric city car therefore has a carbon footprint 3 times lower than its gasoline equivalent.
- For a sedan, with a higher range, this ratio drops to 1 or 2 in 2016.
The climate benefits of electric vehicles therefore greatly depend on their use! To drive in the city or cross France, we will not use the same mode of transport.
3.2 The CO2 balance of hybrid cars
The hybrid car often appears as a good compromise.
- In the city (less than 50 km/h), the electric motor propels the vehicle.
- For higher speeds, the thermal engine takes over.
We thus avoid overconsumption at startup and during accelerations.
We can then drive in the city without fine pollution emissions, while enjoying a long range in case of a vacation departure. But this requires carrying an electric battery AND a thermal vehicle.
Over its entire life cycle, the carbon footprint of the rechargeable hybrid car is between the electric and the thermal.
- A hybrid city car emits 21 t CO2e (twice as much as the electric) during its life.
- A sedan emits nearly 32 t CO2e (compared to 20 t CO2e for the electric).
However, it is necessary to differentiate between rechargeable and non-rechargeable hybrid cars.
- In the first case, a specific battery takes over from the thermal engine at low speed (especially in the city), with a range of several tens of kilometers. This technology allows real gains on the carbon balance.
- In the second case, however, greenhouse gas emissions over the entire life cycle are higher than those of thermal vehicles. The electric battery can only be recharged by the thermal engine, greatly limiting its environmental interest.
What are the main steps of a carbon footprint? How to calculate emissions? How to classify them? How to finance your carbon footprint? To understand everything about the carbon footprint, find our complete article on the subject
4. Choosing a climate-friendly vehicle: solutions and perspectives
4.1 Each use has its vehicle
Between electric, gasoline or hybrid car, there is no right answer: it all depends on the use.
- For short trips, we recommend the electric car. A shared fleet is particularly suitable for companies for example. Of course, soft mobility is preferable whenever possible (walking, public transport, bicycle, etc.).
- For long trips, we favor the train. If you insist on the car, practice eco-driving to save up to 40 % of fuel.
Shared vehicles, carpooling and rental allow you to use the right vehicle for each use, without multiplying their production.
In any case, it is important to keep one fact in mind. The greenhouse gas emissions vary from one to two depending on the car model chosen, even hybrid or electric. We therefore favor a light, eco-designed and adapted vehicle to one's needs. Moreover, the ADEME offers a comparison to choose the cleanest possible vehicle.
4.2 The electric car, a low-carbon choice under certain conditions
Finally, the electric car is a relevant option for reducing CO2 emissions in the world… Under certain conditions.
- During manufacturing and resource extraction, processes must emit little greenhouse gases. In particular, battery production must follow stringent environmental standards.
- In use, the consumption of low-carbon electricity is necessary.
- Finally, users must accept a moderate load capacity, despite a gain in battery efficiency. In 2021, we still tend to take advantage of improvements in industrial processes to produce more. This is the rebound effect, denounced with 5G. Since each use emits less carbon, is easier and faster, we demand more… Resulting in an overall increase in emissions. For electric vehicles, we will instead have to accept a range lower than that of thermal cars.
Experts agree that at the global level, the electric car is an effective solution to reduce the carbon footprint of our travels, and therefore our impact on climate change.
This is the opinion of the Carbone 4 firm, a reference in France, as well as one of the solutions studied by the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), an international reference.
In use and at the end of life, other mechanisms can be put in place to improve the carbon footprint of electric cars: vehicle sharing, regulation of the electricity network thanks to the storage capacity of batteries, reuse of batteries at the end of life, etc.
Ultimately, the carbon footprint of electric vehicles is more advantageous than that of thermal cars. However, it is necessary to choose a mode of transport adapted to one's needs. With good practices, soft mobility and electric cars can significantly reduce the CO2 footprint of a company. For more advice on carbon footprint, discover our dedicated article !
Sources
- Carbone 4, 2020. https://www.carbone4.com/voiture-electrique-etre-decarbonee-de-production-a-lusage
- The electric vehicle in the ecological transition in France, FNH, 2017. https://www.fnh.org/sites/default/files/vehicule_electrique_synthese.pdf
- Intervention by Guillaume Colin de Sami, in November 2021. https://www.20minutes.fr/magazine/climato-actifs-mag/3168907-20211109-vaut-bilan-carbone-vae
- Annual balance of transport in 2019: the externalities, Ministry of ecological transition, November 2020. https://www.statistiques.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/sites/default/files/2020-11/datalab_76_comptes_transports_2019_externalites_novembre2020.pdf
- INR, Mooc Numérique Responsable, consulted in 2020.
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