When electric vehicles (EVs) were first introduced, the selling point was that they didn't require traditional fuel and would greatly reduce exhaust emissions. As a result, they were seen as ‘champions of the environment.’ However, with the recent exponential increase in the number of EVs worldwide, the production and disposal of these vehicles are adding to carbon emissions, impacting the environment. This raises questions about whether EVs are really as eco-friendly as they were hailed to be.

Amidst the rush to embrace EVs, in this article Kwiksure will look into the impact of EVs on the environment from various perspectives.

Environmental Arguments for EVs

According to a research report published by the International Council on Clean Transportation, a midsize EV can reduce emissions by 37%-69% (depending on the region) compared to a gasoline vehicle. If powered entirely by renewable energy, it can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 81%. By contrast, hybrid cars can only reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about 20% compared to gasoline vehicles (which include diesel vehicles). Thus, EVs do help the environment to a certain extent.

In addition, in 2020, the Climate Change Committee in the UK calculated the energy conversion efficiency of gasoline-powered cars and EVs (less energy loss means higher efficiency). It was found that only 30% of the energy in gasoline vehicles is used for vehicle operation, while EVs use up to 86% of the energy to propel the vehicle, which is far better than with gasoline vehicles.

Environmental Arguments Against EVs

However, in recent years, numerous groups and organizations, including the Association of German Engineers, the International Energy Agency, and even British actor Rowan Atkinson, who famously portrayed Mr. Bean, have voiced doubts about the environmental effectiveness of EVs. The Green NCAP Life Cycle Assessment published by the European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) finds that, over the entire life cycle of an EV, driving accounts for 51% and production and recycling account for 43% of the total carbon emissions.

A report published by Emission Analytics, an emissions data research organization, states that the environmental pollution caused by tire wear from EVs is 1,000 times worse than the exhaust emissions from gasoline vehicles. The reason is that EVs carry numerous batteries, which increase the vehicle's weight and put more pressure on the brakes and tires. This leads to the increased release of suspended particles during wear, causing air pollution and posing harm to people’s health.

In addition to the aforementioned research reports, the following reasons are commonly cited by critics to argue that electric cars are not environmentally friendly:

Damages to the Environment

The production of electric car batteries requires a large amount of nickel mining, which involves deforestation of tropical rainforests and generates huge amounts of carbon emissions. Nickel Industries, the company responsible for mining in the Hengjaya mine in Indonesia, claims that the mining area in 2021 was three times the size of New York's Central Park, and the subsequent cleanup work led to 56,000 tons of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere, equivalent to the carbon emissions from the operation of 12,000 gasoline cars for one year.

Shifted Emissions

When hundreds of thousands of EVs are charged up, it directly increases the load on power plants. In a study conducted by UK’s University of Cambridge in 2020, in which 59 countries around the globe were looked at, it was found that the carbon emissions from electric cars in six countries, including China, India, and Poland, were higher than from gasoline cars. The reason is that these countries have a high proportion of coal-fired power generation and a high carbon emissions index per unit of electricity generated. This demonstrates that the ‘zero emissions’ of electric cars are in some cases illusory, where the emissions are merely shifted to the power plants.

Transportation Costs

Currently, the global production of electric vehicles is mainly concentrated in China, especially when it comes to the batteries. Many European and American automakers source batteries from Chinese suppliers, which generates carbon emissions during transportation and weakens the environmental score of electric vehicles.

Disposal of Batteries

Although EVs do not have gasoline engines, their internal components are no less complex, including motors, batteries, and a large number of electronic parts. Batteries have a fixed lifespan. When their performance deteriorates, the cost of replacement is very high, which will cause many owners to simply buy a new vehicle instead, resulting in an increase in the number of discarded EVs.

Frequent Accidents

EVs have outstanding performance, strong acceleration, and easy handling, allowing many drivers to reach higher speeds without realizing it. At the same time, the prices of EVs have been consistently decreasing, leading many novice drivers to choose them. However, a lack of experience in handling different road conditions can easily result in accidents, causing congestion and reducing the efficiency of other vehicles, ultimately leading to more fuel wastage.

If Electric Vehicles are not the Most Environmentally Friendly, Which Models are?

In late February 2024, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy published rankings of the most environmentally friendly vehicle models, encompassing EVs, plug-in hybrids, and hybrid models. The ranking methodology takes into account not only the carbon emissions data of the vehicles but also factors such as production processes, energy consumption, recycling, and sources of electric power. Among the top 12 most eco-friendly vehicle models, EVs take only 6 spots. Tesla, Hong Kong’s favorite brand, does not even make the top 12.

The top-ranked model is Toyota’s new generation Prius Prime SE, which uses PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid) technology, with an environmental score of 71 and an annual energy cost of only USD $529. The second and third places are taken by two EVs–the Lexus RZ300e, and the Mini Cooper SE which is available in Hong Kong, with the same environmental score of 67 and energy costs of USD $651 and USD $747, respectively. The report states that the winning factor for the Prius Prime SE is its weight control, which reduces energy consumption during operation and allows it to significantly outperform other models.

Apart from the Mini Cooper SE, almost all of the top 12 most eco-friendly vehicle models are from Japanese and Korean car manufacturers, and they are mainly compact and midsize vehicles. The report states that the lighter weight of these vehicles reduces not only energy consumption, but also pollution caused by tire wear. Toyota, which has been criticized for lagging behind in EV development, occupies 6 spots in the top 12 most eco-friendly vehicle models.

The list also includes several natural gas hybrid models, including the Hyundai Elantra Blue, Toyota Camry LE, and Toyota Corolla. However, natural gas hybrids are still relatively new and have higher driving costs for vehicle owners.

Several of the top 12 eco-friendly vehicle models are also available in Hong Kong, including the Nissan Leaf, Toyota bZ4X, Hyundai Kona Electric, Hyundai IONIC 5, and Kia EV6–something that environmentally conscious car owners in Hong Kong should not miss.

How to Make Electric Vehicles Even More Environmentally Friendly?

EVs are criticized for not being eco-friendly, in part because of the production process. But as drivers, how can we maximize the environmental benefits of EVs? According to the German Association of Engineers, an EV needs to be driven more than 90,000 km before it becomes more environmentally friendly than a gasoline vehicle. Other than that, the following three things can make EVs even more environmentally friendly.

1. When purchasing an EV, choose a model with a range that suits your personal needs. A longer range means more batteries are required and more carbon emissions are generated during battery production.

2. Plan your trips in advance and choose suitable routes to avoid wasting power due to traffic congestion, thereby increasing carbon emissions.

3. If your home environment permits it, use renewable energy as much as possible. For example, solar panels can be installed on the roofs of village houses, and the electricity generated can be used to charge up EVs. Excess electricity can even be sold to CLP or HK Electric.