A recent study reveals an intriguing fact: electric cars outperform combustion vehicles in terms of environmental impact, but only after traveling 90,000 km. This threshold raises questions about the future of electric mobility.
When purchasing a electric vehicle we generally think about the positive impact it will have on the environment. However, a study by the association of German engineers VDI shows us a more nuanced reality: at the start of their life, electric cars have a higher environmental impact. The main cause is the manufacturing of their batteries. This information may surprise many buyers who are expecting a solution immediately greener.
However, technological innovations in terms of more economical and durable batteries are paving the way for a significant reduction of this impact. Additionally, the emergence of sodium batteries in Europe promises to disrupt the market, making electric cars both affordable and more ecological. At the same time, Toyota has taken a leap forward with a battery offering an impressive range of 1,200 km and recharging in just 10 minutes. These innovations are giant steps towards more efficient electric vehicles and more environmentally friendly.
An electric car must travel 90,000 km to compensate for battery production
THE electric vehicles start their life with a significant disadvantage in terms of CO2 emissions. It is mainly due to the production of their batteries. This energy-intensive process involves the extraction and refinement of raw materials like lithium and cobalt. The manufacture of the battery itself, often dependent on fossil fuels. However, according to the VDI study it is necessary to achieve 90,000 km so that EVs become less polluting than thermal vehicles. This, thanks to theabsence of emissions during use and the increasing use of clean energy for charging. In the long term, particularly after 200,000 km, electric means of transport have a significantly lower carbon footprint, offsetting their high initial impact.
Thus, thefuture of electric mobility heavily depends on the continued improvement of battery technologies. It is crucial to reducing the environmental impact of electric vehicles from their production. But it is also essential to take into account logistical aspects such as the transport of raw materials and finished batteries. This is often carried out over long distances and currently contributes to CO2 emissions because it is carried out via environmentally unfriendly means of transport.
The objective is to minimize carbon footprint at every stepfrom production to logistics, to reduce the parity threshold for electric vehicles versus thermal vehicles.
Source: VDI