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A study by the IFO think tank in Munich found that electric vehicles in Germany emit 11 – 28 percent more carbon dioxide than their diesel counterparts.
The study considered the production of batteries as well as the German electricity mix in making this determination.
Germany spent thousands of euros on electric car subsidies per vehicle to put a million electric vehicles on the road, but those subsidies have done nothing to reach the country’s greenhouse gas emission targets.
This is just the latest example of government programs expecting one outcome and getting quite another, instead.
To some it is ironic; to others it is funny.
At IER, we believe it to be sad, as it is a waste of time and money that could be better put to use solving real problems.
The researchers compared the carbon dioxide output for a Tesla Model 3 (electric) and a Mercedes C220d sedan (diesel).
- The Mercedes releases about 141 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer driven, including the carbon emitted to drill, refine, and transport its fuel.
- The Tesla releases between 156 and 181 grams, including battery production.
Mining and processing the lithium, cobalt, and manganese used for batteries consume a lot of energy.
A Tesla Model 3 battery, for example, represents between 11 and 15 metric tons of carbon dioxide.
Given a battery lifetime of 10 years and an annual travel distance of 15,000 kilometers, 73 to 98 grams of carbon dioxide are emitted per kilometer.
Germany’s growing reliance on coal for electricity generation was also considered in the study.
The country relies on coal when the wind is not blowing and the sun is not shining. As a result, charging a Tesla in Bavaria releases about 83 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer driven.
Not all European countries may emit more carbon dioxide from electric vehicles than from diesel or gasoline vehicles.
In France, electric vehicles may emit less carbon dioxide than diesel vehicles because France gets the majority of its electricity from nuclear power.
The European Union also provides benefits for manufacturers of electric vehicles, by allowing them to claim zero emissions under its strict emissions limits.
Not all European countries may emit more carbon dioxide from electric vehicles than from diesel or gasoline vehicles, however.
In France, for example, electric vehicles may emit less carbon dioxide than diesel vehicles because France gets the majority of its electricity from nuclear power.
But in many other European countries, that is certainly not the case.
Other Alternatives
According to the German researchers, the European Union target of 59 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer by 2030 corresponds to a “technically unrealistic” consumption of 2.2 liters of diesel or 2.6 liters of gasoline per 100 kilometers.
The researchers believe it would be preferable to look at other sources of power for automobiles—for example, methane engines, “whose emissions are one-third less than those of diesel motors.”
Other Studies
A study in 2017 by researchers at the University of Michigan found that the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by electric cars varied wildly by country. Continue reading
Image: Money Control
Correction
Since publication, it has been ponted out the study has faced a raft of criticism over selective use of data, reports German press.
According to “WirtschaftsWoche” the study contradicts “in a blatant manner as well as all serious, international studies in recent months,” while mobility expert Don Dahlmann explains that the study is counting on wrong numbers. The Federal Environment Agency points to an extensive earlier study, according to which e-cars perform better than diesel cars.
The point has also been raised that in the calculations of the production of electricity, other emissions involved in the production of the cars were not taken into account, reports Spiegel.
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