Myth no 10: Electric vehicles pollute the atmosphere just as much as petrol vehicles

At first glance, this myth seems logical. After all, if an electric vehicle (EV) is charged using electricity from coal or natural gas, isn’t it just relocating emissions from the tailpipe to the power plant? And what about the environmental impact of mining materials for EV batteries?

It all comes down to tailpipe vs. lifecycle emissions The most important distinction to make here is the difference between tailpipe emissions and lifecycle emissions. -powered vehicles emit carbon dioxide and other pollutants directly from their tailpipes. EVs, on the other hand, have zero tailpipe emissions.

The focus of scepticism then turns to the lifecycle and the claim that when you account for electricity generation and battery production, EVs are no better, or even worse.

But comprehensive studies—conducted in countries with different energy grids—consistently show that even when powered by fossil fuels, EVs still result in significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions over their lifetimes. That’s because EVs are far more energy-efficient than internal combustion engines (ICEs), converting over 85% of electrical energy into motion, while gas engines convert only about 20%.