Electric Vehicles With “Dirty Electricity” Still Emit Less CO2 Than Diesel Engines

Although the general public may not be sold on the concept of electric vehicles just yet, there are many advantages to this technology in its current form. Not only will it help alleviate traffic congestion, it will significantly reduce CO2 emissions. A new study shows that these vehicles emit less CO2 over their lifetimes compared to diesel engines, regardless of which form of electricity is used.

Dirty Electricity Works Just Fine for Electric Vehicles

It is evident electric vehicles present many challenges as well as benefits. Unfortunately, the latter aspect isn’t highlighted all that often. Instead, consumers are left in the dark about most advantages provided by electric vehicles now and in the future. Solving traffic congestion is one benefit which has been highlighted many times in the past. However, it is not the only reason to show an interest in this new automotive technology.

When looking at the bigger picture, one has to acknowledge electric vehicles still emit CO2 and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. That being said, electric cars will always emit less CO2 over their lifetimes compared to diesel cars. It doesn’t matter what type of electricity is used, as even “dirty electricity” will yield very positive results. This is a point which deserves to be highlighted more often.

A new study published on Transport Environment confirms this fact. More specifically, there is mention of how electric vehicles will emit fewer greenhouse gases compared to diesel engine cars. These numbers will go down even further when taking new renewable electricity supplies into account. Right now, there is no “pure” renewable energy source, not even in the world of electricity. That situation will eventually come to change, although it may not occur overnight.

Even in places where greenhouse gas emissions are relatively high, electric vehicles will make a positive impact. One has to keep in mind that though the longevity of electric vehicles has yet to be determined, tests show they produce a 25% reduction in CO2 emissions. Depending on the country being looked at, the difference can be as high as 85%. All of this data is well worth looking at, as it shows there is a very bright future ahead for electric vehicles as a whole.

It is evident the origins of the electricity used by cars must be considered as well. More specifically, countries differ in terms of the carbon intensity of the electricity they provide for such vehicles. In particular, the difference between Poland and the rest of the European Union is quite large in this regard. Still, the use of so-called dirty electricity is far preferable over using diesel fuel in a given country. At this rate, all electric vehicles will emit half the CO2 of a diesel car by 2030. That’s a major improvement, assuming the timeline is viable.

All of this goes to show the transition from diesel engines to electric vehicles will happen sooner or later. Even materials used in batteries will not have any negative impact on this industry for the foreseeable future. While there’s still some work to be done in this department as well, it is evident things are finally coming together for the EV industry as a whole. Whether or not the average consumer will be more excited about electric vehicles due to this report remains a big question.