{"id":21776,"date":"2023-03-03T14:18:38","date_gmt":"2023-03-03T13:18:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonpote.com\/?p=21776"},"modified":"2025-10-06T11:27:40","modified_gmt":"2025-10-06T09:27:40","slug":"are-electric-cars-a-solution-to-tackle-climate-change","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonpote.com\/en\/are-electric-cars-a-solution-to-tackle-climate-change\/","title":{"rendered":"Are electric cars a solution to tackle climate change ?<\/strong>"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Are electric cars an ideal solution for the climate emergency? Text by <\/strong>Aur\u00e9lien Bigo<\/strong><\/a>, Researcher on the energy transition in the transport sector<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong>. Translated by St\u00e9phanie de la Sayette<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

2035 will mark the end of the sale of Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) cars in France and more widely in the European Union, leaving the way for electric cars. The transition is already underway: electric cars represented 13% of car sales in 2022 in France, a figure that is increasing each year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This policy is mainly driven by climate change. However, it is not uncommon to read or hear that electric cars would be worse for the climate than ICE.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, what do the studies say? Is going electric better in France? What about in other countries in the world? Which phase(s) of the life cycle of an electric car and a ICE emit the most? What other issues relating to cars in general, electric cars may solve (or not)? How do we ensure a sustainable and virtuous development for electric cars?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s try and untangle this (electric!) debate\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Electric car or Internal Combustion Engine car, which one is better?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Several studies have analysed and compared the GHGs of ICE versus electric cars in France, by taking into account all stages of the lifecycle of a car, from the production of the vehicle to its end of life, including its use and maintenance. We call it: \u201clife cycle analysis\u201d (or LCAs).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The studies found that, in France, emissions are around 2 to 5 times lower for an electric car than for a ICE (petrol or diesel).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The image below summarises the 10 studies compiled for France over the past 10 years<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Results
Results of the main life cycle assessments on Internal Combustion Engine and electric cars for France<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In France, electric cars are better. What about the rest of the world? In Germany, China\u2026?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The energy mix used to recharge EV batteries strongly impacts their carbon footprint. In France, the low-carbon electricity mix thus gives a strong advantage compared to other countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The IPCC compilation<\/a> and many academic studies (here<\/a>, here<\/a> or here<\/a>) show that, in the vast majority of countries in the world, the electric car is already a better choice. For example, in Germany, the decreases of GHG emissions are around -25% to -60% (division by 1.3 to 2.5) depending on the studies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Only in a few countries, which are largely dependent on coal for their electricity, is the negative impact of electric cars often found to be greater than for ICE, for example in India or Poland, and sometimes in China, according to the analysis (see the document in section 3 for the sources and details).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Relative
Relative greenhouse gas emissions of electric and internal combustion cars in the world in 2015, 2030 and 2050. Source : Knobloch et al, 2020<\/a>. <\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

But even in these countries, and due to the gradual decarbonisation of electricity, the electric car will become a better option than ICE in the coming years. Further, at the global level, the International Energy Agency estimates that electric is on average emitting two times less than ICE today. It is still insufficient at this stage to achieve the climate goals, but the benefits are already clear. And the role of electric vehicle will be major in decarbonising transportation in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Indeed, the IPCC indicated in its Third Part of its Sixth Assessment Report: “\u2009Electric vehicles powered by low-carbon electricity offer the main potential for decarbonizing land transport, in life cycle analysis”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lifecycle, battery, electricity\u2026 why such discrepancies between studies?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Several factors explain the discrepancies between the different studies of the life cycle analysis. They influence the level of emissions of vehicles in absolute terms, but also the differential between ICE and electric (in %).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among the most significant factors are: the electric mix for the use of EVs, the total mileage of the vehicles over their lifetime, various batteries properties (including: capacity, emissions associated with their production, potential second life), their size, their energy consumption, and whether emissions linked to infrastructures are taken into account. These factors, and the main results of the studies cited above, are summarised in the slides below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n