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Electric cars outperform combustion engines: Studies show clear advantage!
A new study shows that electric cars are more climate-friendly than old combustion engines. Emissions comparisons and ecological progress.
Electric cars outperform combustion engines: Studies show clear advantage!
A current study carried out on behalf of the Federal Office of Energy (BFE) in Bern refutes the widespread argument that it is more climate-friendly to use older combustion vehicles for longer, as their production involves high CO₂ emissions. According to the analysis, which focuses specifically on the situation in Switzerland, this claim is not true for around 90% of combustion engines driving there. Older models are actually more harmful to the environment because they have higher emissions, which has a negative impact on the climate. A decisive factor for CO₂ emissions is the emission class of the respective vehicle, according to ÖkoNews.
The discussion about the CO₂ balance of vehicles is becoming increasingly relevant. Although electric cars start with a worse carbon footprint due to the energy-intensive production process, they can compensate for this disadvantage over their service life. The VDI states that the GHG emissions of an electric car vary between 24.2 t CO₂eq and 33.8 t CO₂eq with an assumed mileage of 200,000 kilometers. These values depend heavily on the driving profile and the energy source used. From around 90,000 km onwards, an electric car becomes more climate-friendly than a petrol combustion engine, which promotes the switch to more environmentally friendly means of transport.
Comparison of CO₂ emissions
The CO₂ balance of vehicles depends on various factors, and a meta-study by the Fraunhofer Institute shows that electric cars emit on average 40 to 50 percent less CO₂ over their entire life cycle than comparable combustion engines. This finding is based on more than 70 evaluated studies that take into account the comprehensive climate footprint from production to disposal. Despite the higher energy consumption for production, especially the battery, this is compensated for by lower emissions during driving, as AutoZeitung explains.
Compared to electric cars, diesel and gasoline vehicles produce significantly higher GHG emissions. While a diesel vehicle emits around 33 t CO₂eq and petrol engines even 37.1 t CO₂eq, the value for plug-in hybrids is between 24.8 t and 46.0 t CO₂eq, depending on the application and analysis method. These values demonstrate the need to switch to lower-emission drive types.
Economy and efficiency
The economics of electric cars also improve over time. According to the ISI analysis, electric cars can be more economical than combustion engines after just three years of ownership, especially in the middle class. Factors that contribute to this include the low energy costs when charging and the lower maintenance requirements. Government subsidies and tax breaks also play an important role in the attractiveness of electric vehicles.
Last but not least, the future material requirements for battery production and their recycling quality will also have a decisive influence on the environmental balance of electric cars. From 2024, a new EU battery regulation will come into force, which, among other things, prescribes minimum standards for service life and performance as well as a CO2 balance requirement for rechargeable batteries. This regulation aims to improve ecological standards and human rights aspects in supply chains.