EVs Emit 67% Less than Conventional ICE Vehicles: Report

A new report has revealed that an EV can generate up to 67% less GHG emissions than ICE car on a well-to-wheel basis but the location is a crucial factor.

A new report has revealed that a typical mid-size electric vehicle (EV) can generate up to 67 percent lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions than a petrol-driven internal combustion engine (ICE) car on a well-to-wheel basis but the location in which they are driven is a crucial factor.

Consultancy firm Wood Mackenzie Power and Renewables has revealed that an EV can only displace up to half of the GHG emissions of an ICE gasoline car based on the existing electricity generation mix in developing economies such as China and India which are still heavily dependent on coal for power generation.

“Comparing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from an EV and an ICE car is not straightforward. It’s worth noting that, even though EVs have zero tailpipe emissions, they are not GHG emissions-free when evaluated on a well-to-wheel basis,” said Aman Verma, a research analyst at WoodMac. “When there is a high share of coal or other fossil fuels in the power mix, typical in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) countries, the competitiveness of EVs versus ICE cars decreases.”

The report adds that in order to overcome this issue, governments in developing countries – such as China and India – could look at electrifying the current ICE car taxi fleet. This would help achieve emissions abatement faster than incentivising and promoting the use of privately-owned EVs because of their greater utilisation in terms of miles travelled.

The new research takes into account a number of factors – how the fuel is produced in refineries, where the crude oil is sourced from, mileage of the car, how the electricity is produced, and the energy use associated with vehicle and battery manufacturing and charging. These factors differ from country to country.

According to the report, decarbonisation of the power sector is the most crucial factor in sustaining the current advantage for EVs and as gasoline ICE vehicles become more fuel efficient, the power mix must comprise more renewables for EVs to remain GHG competitive.