What's the Carbon Footprint of Electric Cars vs. Gasoline?

Oh, the trusty carbon footprint question. The considerations go well beyond simply fueling and driving in the face-off between EVs and ICEVs (that's internal-combustion-engine vehicles). It's a complex calculation that needs to consider the vehicle's entire life span from manufacturing to disposal. At the production stage, an electric car's carbon footprint is a bit larger than that of the conventional vehicle due to the impact of making the batteries. Once it gets on the road, though, the EV catches up and eventually surpasses the traditional gas-run car on the green score after only about six to 16 months of driving.

What Is the Environmental Impact of Electric Cars?

The carbon emissions from cars start at production before they even hit the road. And EVs have an especially heavy footprint at this stage due to their lithium-ion batteries. The energy used to produce these batteries is the greatest contributor to the carbon footprint of building an electric car. The extraction and refining of the raw materials used to make the batteries—things like cobalt, lithium, and nickel —also have a sizeable environmental impact. Cobalt is especially problematic . According to the UCS , the production of a midsize EV is responsible for 15 percent more emissions than that of a gas-powered midsize. And that proportion increases substantially to 68 percent for larger SUVs (bigger battery equals bigger footprint). As EVs become more the norm, auto companies across the board have vowed to implement greener energy at the production level. According to the International Council of Clean Transportation (ICCT), decarbonizing the grid, recycling old batteries, and further battery innovations could decrease battery production emissions by about half.

Are Electric Cars as Dependable as Gas Cars?

In a word: yes. But it also depends on what you're looking for in a vehicle. EVs are low-maintenance, efficient, and produce virtually no tailpipe emissions. They're also arguably more fun to drive. The ride is smooth, the pickup is fast, and most models can deliver on the oh-so-satisfying "one-pedal-driving" (taking your foot off the accelerator to slow down via regenerative braking). Plus, of course, you have EV-owner bragging rights at parties. The most significant factor when considering an EV, though, is the range . The average American drives less than 30 miles a day . The range of an EV can span from the Mini Electric's 113 miles to Tesla Model S Long Range Plus's 402 miles. Range anxiety is a real thing.

How Do I Know Which Electric Car I Should Buy?

The good news is you have lots to choose from. Are you a high-end luxury Jaguar I-Pace person? Or is a practical Nissan Leaf more your jam? Apart from personal style and expression, there's a lot to consider . If you're feeling overwhelmed (paradox of choice!), let us point you to some handy tools. JD Power rates 2021 models (both premium and mass-market) on a scoring system that considers range, driving experience, the cost to operate, and other factors.