Exhaust is not everything
About the fact that the emissivity of electric vehicles must be taken into account not in the engine and not on the street, but in the entire energy path, i.e. asking how much energy was used (and how much CO2 was emitted) in its production and where and how electricity was produced and batteries were charged, we have known for quite some time. However, it is always a good idea to check your balance carefully. There have been some interesting posts recently.
On this occasion, as well as on the transition of the automotive industry to electrical production this would be extremely costly and entail a lot of things not normally included in simplified balance sheets, Greenhouse gas emissionsToyota CEO Akio Toyoda (1) said recently that he thinks politicians don't understand what they are really trying to achieve.
According to a report by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), published in the second half of 2020. electromobiles similar and even larger than the PM10 and PM2,5 exhaust emitters. And what may seem surprising, since the so-called "BEV 300", i.e. with a power reserve of about 300 miles (480 km), would be better in this respect than the BEV 100, that is (160 km). The reason is the greater weight of vehicles of the first type, i.e. more tire friction on the ground, etc. According to the OECD, if electric vehicles made up 4 percent of cars in use by 2030, and 8 percent. after 2030, PM2,5 and PM10 emissions will be halved compared to the current level.
Automakers want open discussion
Some automakers seek candid public discussion electromobilesas seen in the example of the quoted Mr. Toyoda. In September 2020, Polestar, a new brand created by Volvo to produce cars with electricOver time, he became an electric-only manufacturer and detailed the lifetime impact of his two new fastbacks, the Polestar 1 and 2(2), while declaring that he was "opening the movement for transparency throughout automotive industry."
In addition to a detailed description of energy and CO2 in the production of these two vehicles compared to Volvo XC40 petrol enginePolestar wants to talk more about the environmental impact of electric vehicles. As CEO Thomas Ingenlath said: “In the past, car manufacturers were not clear about the environmental impact of their products. This is not good. We have to be honest, even if it makes some facts uncomfortable."
However, at the same time, the company's analysis shows that over the life of its two models, their environmental impact is lower than that of the XC40 z. Gas engine, but also stated that an eco-friendly car is not just a purchase electric car. The truth is much more complicated.
The company reports that the production of Polestars 1 and 2 creates 24 tons of CO2e (equivalent to CO2) compared to 14 tons of CO2e in the production of XC40 gasoline. This additional emission is largely related to the production battery necessary for the production of electric vehicles. is used to charge the Polestar for its lifetime, the electric car can offset this balance with lower CO emissions.2 in the XC40, becoming "greener" compared to the XC40. But, we repeat, it depends on the energy source being charged.
Polestar claims that, having covered 200 km, the XC40 (petrol version with 163g CO2 per kilometer) emits 41 tons of CO2. With this run electric pole stars begin to gain an issuing advantage. Despite this, carbon dioxide emissions on electric vehicles is much higherthan you can imagine. In an ideal world where Polestar is powered by XNUMX% renewable energy wind energy, the driver would have to drive about 50 thousand. miles before an electric vehicle's carbon footprint is lower than that of the XC40 petrol engine. With such a wind scenario, the emission of carbon dioxide would be only 0,4 tons over a distance of 200 kilometers. km.
If the car is charged from the European grid, which Polestar calls the "European grid" (average energy balance for 28 countries), the electric car has to travel 80-40 kilometers. km before its carbon footprint is smaller than that of the XC112. Polestar's calculations, based on an average global energy mix, show that a Polestar electrician will only achieve an emissions advantage after they have driven XNUMX miles.
Polestar doesn't limit its research into electric vehicle manufacturing to simply calculating the life cycle of carbon, noting that battery manufacturing is also important. The company writes: "We work hard to ensure that the minerals we use in our batteries are sourced responsibly, with full respect for human rights, and with minimal pollution." Like Volvo, Polestar uses cobalt tracking technology in its supply chain to check how it is being extracted.
The trend to showcase their environmental face is wider. for example Volkswagen says production of both the ID 3 and the new ID 4 EVs is carbon neutral due to huge investments in the Zwickau plant where both models are made. The German plant is running at full capacity water energy, wind i sunnyand heating from a local power plant is provided by natural gas, and VW says it has minimized energy consumption in key areas. However, there is a difference between "carbon neutral" production and "zero emission" production, and VW notes that for ID 3 and ID 4 this "offsets unavoidable emissions through climate protection projects". As with Polestar vehicles, carbon emissions over the life of VW ID models depend on where the energy comes from to charge them.
3. Mitsubishi Mirage and Tesla
Small city gasoline, more environmentally friendly than Tesla
Modest Mitsubishi Mirage does not give the impression of a futuristic, environmentally friendly car. It runs on gasoline and emits exhaust gases through the exhaust pipe. However, when the Mirage is assessed for its carbon footprint over its life cycle - from component purchases and up - it may actually be a greener car than that.
A new Tesla Model S P100D moving through the US Midwest produces 226 grams of carbon dioxide (or its equivalent) per kilometer over its lifetime, a significant reduction from 385 grams, according to MIT lab research. for a luxury BMW 7 Series. But the Mirage emits even less at just 192g. life cycle than conventional smaller vehicles."
By 2030, cars like the Mirage could be "outlawed" in cities across Europe and China as subsequent bans on combustion-engine cars will not take into account fuel economy and production efficiency. There seems to be something wrong with the rules and the new rules.
