A frequent argument is that these electric cars emit so many greenhouse gases than thermal cars because theelectricity they use is itself produced by power stations using fossil fuels such as coal.
- Energy use while driving
But according to the US Environmental Protection Agency, an electric car charged in Saint-Louis, Missouri (one of the states most dependent on coal for electricity) produces on average 154 grams of carbon dioxide (CO2) per km, versus 236 grams for a thermal vehicle.
The carbon footprint of an electric car depends on the region or country where it was charged.
It is higher in countries such as Poland or Asian countries, which produce a large part of their electricity from coal, than in Belgium, where it depends overwhelmingly on nuclear.
- Total life cycle energy use of a car
And when we take into account the entire life cycle, including the production of raw materials for batteries and going all the way to end-of-life recycling, thermal cars remain much more C02 emitters than electric cars, concluded the expert organization International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) in a thick study.