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Welcome back to our series where we're tackling the persistent myths surrounding electric vehicles (EVs) with a dose of reality, backed by facts and data. In Part Two, we're charging head-on into some of the more environmentally and technologically focused misconceptions.
As EVs become an increasingly common sight on our roads, it's crucial to have a clear understanding of the facts. With over a decade of real-world use and billions of electric miles driven, the evidence is mounting. Let's plug into the truth behind some more prevalent EV myths.
EV MYTH #4: EVs aren’t really ‘green’ due to pollution from battery mining and manufacturing, especially in regions with coal-heavy electricity grids.
This is a common concern, and it's true that the production of EV batteries has an environmental footprint. However, looking at the entire lifecycle of a vehicle reveals a different story.
Research by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) has demonstrated that an EV driven in Europe will pay off its carbon debt after approximately 11,000 miles. After this point, its total lifecycle CO2 emissions are around three times lower than an average petrol car.
A Carbon Brief analysis in 2023 focused on the UK, showing that a Tesla Model Y would pay off its carbon debt even quicker, after around 13,000 miles – less than two years of average driving. Over a 14-year lifespan, the average petrol car generates a carbon footprint of 45 tonnes of CO2. The same Tesla Model Y driven in the UK would emit just 14 tonnes of CO2 – a saving of 68%. To further visualize this, Transport & the Environment calculated that the average combustion car burns a tower of oil barrels a staggering 25 storeys high during its lifetime.
The Truth: While battery production has an environmental impact, studies consistently show that over their lifespan, EVs produce significantly lower CO2 emissions than petrol cars, even when accounting for manufacturing.
EV MYTH #5: Charging EVs just shifts pollution from the tailpipe to power plants, making them no better for the environment.
This argument often overlooks the rapidly decarbonizing electricity grids in many parts of the world, including the UK.
As of March 2024, a remarkable 67% of the power supplied to the UK grid came from zero-carbon sources. Wind power accounted for the lion's share at 49%, followed by nuclear and solar, both at 9%, with the remainder from gas, biomass, imports, and hydro.
Charging an EV in the UK, especially on a low-cost evening tariff that often utilizes predominantly renewable electricity, results in very low energy emissions associated with charging. Even in countries with more coal-intensive grids like China and Poland, Carbon Brief analysis indicates that an EV would still pay off its carbon debt at 22,000 and 18,000 miles respectively.
Crucially, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) stated in their latest report that “even with current grids, EVs reduce emissions in almost all cases.” This is because electric cars are roughly four times more energy-efficient than combustion engine vehicles.
Furthermore, with 80% of EV charging occurring at home, often overnight on low-cost tariffs from providers supplying certified renewable electricity, the claim that EV use in the UK simply relocates pollution is factually incorrect.
The Truth: The UK's increasingly green electricity grid means charging EVs is becoming cleaner. EVs are also significantly more energy-efficient than combustion cars, leading to lower overall emissions, even on less green grids.
EV MYTH #6: Hydrogen fuel cell cars are the real future, not battery EVs.
While hydrogen fuel cell technology holds promise for certain applications, the current reality and scientific analysis point towards battery EVs as the dominant technology for passenger cars.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) reports a stark contrast: there are 27 million EVs globally compared to just 72,000 hydrogen fuel cell cars. The infrastructure also tells a clear story, with only 11 hydrogen filling stations in the UK and 265 across Europe.
The UK Government's own Lifecycle Analysis of UK Road Vehicles concludes that EVs are "much more efficient" than hydrogen cars, requiring only about a third of the energy. Furthermore, the lifecycle emissions from a hydrogen passenger car are estimated to be 60% to 70% higher than an EV, even when using "green" hydrogen produced from low-carbon sources.
Significant barriers hinder the widespread adoption of hydrogen cars, including the need for a high-pressure, low-temperature infrastructure, the fact that producing hydrogen requires five times more energy than electricity, logistical and storage challenges, and a projected pump cost significantly higher than petrol or diesel if green hydrogen were to be produced at scale. Notably, Shell has closed all its hydrogen filling stations in the UK and California.
While car manufacturers are rapidly expanding their EV model line-ups, there are currently only two hydrogen cars available to private buyers in the UK market: the Hyundai Nexo and the Toyota Mirai. DVLA figures indicate a mere 98 Toyota Mirai and 29 Nexo registered on UK roads, highlighting their limited adoption.
While hydrogen may find its niche in heavy goods vehicles, trains, or marine transport, the overwhelming consensus among experts is that its application to passenger cars is highly unlikely to become mainstream.
The Truth: The current infrastructure, efficiency, and emissions analysis strongly favour battery EVs over hydrogen fuel cell cars for the mass market.
Stay Tuned for More!
Join us for the next instalment of our "EV Myths: Charging Up the Truth" series, where we'll tackle even more misconceptions and provide you with the clear, factual information you need to understand the electric vehicle revolution.