Are electric vehicles better for the environment?
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Transport accounts for over 25% of our greenhouse gas emissions in the UK – but are electric vehicles the answer?
The debate on whether electric vehicles are better for the environment than their fossil fuel-powered counterparts has made headlines in recent years, with some of the most popular arguments being:
Batteries don’t last forever – they'll end up in landfill
Electric vehicles can’t do long distance travel
They emit more CO2 in production
So, we’re here to bust some myths.
1) Batteries don’t last forever – they'll end up in landfill
The batteries used in electric vehicles are similar to the lithium ion tech used in mobile phones nowadays, with one big difference – the ones in EVs have better power management systems which protect the lifetime of the battery. As a result, most car battery manufacturers offer seven- or eight-year warranties, or for around 100,000 miles.
However, even once their time on the road is over, they’re not ready to be thrown out – instead, they can be used in battery energy storage systems for homes and businesses.
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2) Electric vehicles can’t do long distance travel
Range anxiety is a real worry for a lot of people. Having launched the Electric Highway ourselves and placed charge points at motorways up and down the country, we appreciate their concerns. However, in England, 99% of car journeys are under 100 miles, so you shouldn’t need to stop to recharge for most journeys.
Did you know?
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders reported that in 2023 the average range for a new EV was almost 300 miles – that’s nearly enough to get you from Exeter up to the Lake District.
3) They emit more CO2 in production
It’s true that over 1/3 of an EV’s lifetime CO2 emissions come from the manufacturing stage; however, over the car’s lifetime, their total CO2 emissions are much lower than those of diesel or petrol cars.
Plus, an electric car’s carbon footprint improves with every mile it’s driven – whereas fossil fuel-powered cars’ carbon footprint gets worse as they emit more pollutants.
An MIT study found that even when EVs only had capacity to drive 90,000 miles rather than the average of 180,000, they still came out 15% better than a hybrid car, with the difference being even greater when compared to a diesel or petrol car.
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