Among the advantages of an electric car, we know that it pollutes much less than a vehicle with a thermal engine (diesel or gasoline). Once on the road, its carbon footprint is much more favorable. But is this the dream solution for massively reducing the consumption of fossil fuels? Not so sure…
Unlike thermal vehicles, the first advantage of an electric car is that it emits little CO2 per kilometer. According to studies, electric vehicles emit around 110g CO2 / km, which equates to a substantial reduction compared to their diesel or gasoline counterparts. By comparison, a powerful or heavy gasoline car emits more than 250 g CO2 / km, and a compact vehicle from 130 to 180 g CO2 / km.
What are the advantages of an electric car?
If the carbon footprint of an electric vehicle seems favorable a priori, the problem is rather upstream, before its release. It is at the level of the production, the management of the batteries and the manufacturing process of the electrical energy that this fishes.
Indeed, the production of an electric car (battery and motor included) requires more energy and emits twice as many greenhouse gases as that of a thermal vehicle.
Batteries for electric cars have a very strong ecological footprint because they require the use of fossil fuels and metals such as lithium.
Thus, the emissions associated with the production of a battery would represent on average 5 tonnes of CO2 equivalent, which corresponds to the emissions of 1,600 liters of diesel or 1,900 liters of gasoline. In addition, battery manufacturing plants such as the Chinese CATL, number one in the world market, are in the NGO collimator.
The other point to take into account is the electricity production, which will influence the carbon footprint of vehicles. In countries that still produce a lot of carbon-based electricity, driving electric is anything but ecological.
A study by the ICCT showed, in July 2021, that even in India where electricity is largely of fossil origin, the carbon footprint over the entire life cycle of electric vehicles remains 19 to 34% lower to that of a thermal car. We are reassured!
Small drawbacks to consider
In use, the results of the electric car are therefore much more acceptable than that of gasoline or diesel vehicles. But beware, the economy is not instantaneous, it takes years.
According to studies, the carbon footprint between the two types of engines is only balanced after 30,000 to 40,000 km. As the French drive an average of 1000 km per month, do the math. The electric vehicle does not become more virtuous thanafter 3 to 4 years of use.
It is therefore a question of keeping your electric vehicle as long as possible, knowing that the average lifespan of an electric battery is estimated at ten years and that of a conventional (thermal) vehicle is 11 to 12 years ( i.e. 150,000 km).
This last point is still controversial. Some reports have pointed out that most electric vehicles had a lower lifespan to that of vehicles with combustion engines. Another pitfall, some observers note that the batteries will probably have to be changed vehicles after a few years so that they remain efficient. What considerably degrade the carbon footprint of the car.
Finally, it will also take recycle used batteries, in which we find toxic metals, rare, precious but also acids.
If the solution is not electric …
Asked about the interest of the electric car, Jean-Marc Jancovici, specialist in energy and energy transition, prefers to formulate the question differently: “ What if we did not ask to choose between the electric car and the petroleum car, but instead wondered how to save petroleum by continuing to travel by car?”
According to the engineer, the best alternative to the thermal car is … the small thermal car. To guarantee motorized mobility to people who live on the outskirts of large cities (the bulk of the French population), the best option would be to continue to have gasoline-powered cars. But by drastically lowering fuel consumption.
It would therefore be necessary to produce 500 kg vehicles having a top speed of 90 km / h and a consumption of 1.5 liters / 100 km. A sort of Citroën 2 CV optimized in a way.
In his speeches, the same Jancovici also recommendssharply increase the price of fuel to avoid the creation of a rebound effect, when people suddenly decide to run more because the engines consume less.
According to the engineer, such a solution would allow save oil much faster than to develop the electric car and the infrastructure necessary for its adoption.