Which is actually winning the battle for a green future?
In search of a cleaner and more sustainable way to travel, electric vehicles (EVs) have emerged as a promising alternative to conventional petrol cars. The environmental impact of travel is a major concern, with the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address climate change.
We examine here some of their differences:
Emissions
One of the most important distinctions between electric and petrol cars is their emissions. Electric cars produce zero exhaust emissions, as they run exclusively on electricity stored in their batteries. On the other hand, petrol cars burn fossil fuels, emitting carbon dioxide (CO2) and other pollutants into the atmosphere. This fundamental difference positions electric cars as a cleaner and greener option, helping to improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Energy Source
The energy source for electric and petrol cars is also different. Petrol cars rely on petrol or diesel fuel derived from fossil fuels, which are non-renewable resources with limited reserves. The extraction, refining and transportation of these fuels contribute to environmental degradation and ecosystem disruption. Electric cars, on the other hand, draw energy from the electricity grid, which can be produced from various sources, such as renewable energy sources (solar, wind, hydroelectric) or even nuclear energy. Using renewable energy sources to charge electric cars can significantly reduce their carbon footprint, promoting a sustainable energy transition.
The most usual argument against electric cars is that the production of electricity for charging them is still carried out by so-called "conventional methods", i.e. those that depend on fossil solid fuels such as coal (coal, lignite), liquid fuels such as oil or gaseous fuels such as natural gas. Thus, carbon dioxide is produced during the production of the electricity required to charge them. Even if we measure the production of carbon dioxide when charging, it is considerably less and less harmful than the total atmospheric emissions of a petrol-driven vehicle, because the latter are not only made up of carbon dioxide but also of other greenhouse gases (carbon monoxide (CO), sulphur dioxide (SO2) and hydrocarbons (HC)).
Efficiency
Electric cars are more energy efficient than petrol cars due to the higher efficiency of electric motors, which typically convert more than 90% of the stored electricity into usable power. In contrast, petrol cars rely on internal combustion engines which have a lower energy conversion efficiency, ranging from 20% to 40%, with the remainder being lost as waste heat.
In addition, the overall efficiency of petrol cars is affected by the energy losses associated with the extraction, refining, transportation and storage of oil.
Electric cars can benefit from an increasingly efficient and cleaner energy grid, further enhancing their performance.
Life-cycle analysis
When assessing the environmental impact of vehicles, considering the whole life cycle is crucial. Electric cars may have higher emissions during their manufacturing phase due to the production of batteries and their associated materials. However, over the lifetime of the vehicle, the lower operational emissions of electric cars can more than compensate for these initial production emissions. In addition, developments in battery technology and recycling efforts are continuously improving the sustainability of electric car production and distribution.
As a result, electric cars show significant potential for reducing the environmental impact of transportation. With zero exhaust emissions, higher energy efficiency, continuous advances in technology, and most importantly the possibility of charging via renewable energy sources, electric cars offer a cleaner and more sustainable alternative to petrol cars. By switching to electric vehicles, we can help fight climate change, improve air quality and work towards a sustainable future.
At E-On Integration we have the knowledge and technology to support companies that are either in the land transportation business or have a fleet of vehicles or even depend on transportation as of Scope 3 category throughout the entire sustainable transition process, from the first steps to the recording of the final results. With our consulting services and using the RIBIA ESG and RIBIA GHG cloud platforms, we enable companies to capture, calculate and publish their annual sustainability report and carbon footprint from all Scope 1, 2 and 3 emission categories.
These cloud platforms are built to Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG) and ISO 14064-1-2018 standards, and always follow international and European revisions.
If you want to make a comparison of the environmental impact of the two types of vehicles see a very useful tool/web application from the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST).
Kommentare