Cradle to Grave Emissions

A recurring argument against electric cars (made unsurprisingly by those with a certain political agenda) is that they're not actually cleaner than the status quo. People will talk about theories of "long tailpipe" emissions from coal power plants, and the impact of building and shipping the huge batteries required. Of course, these arguments are mostly theoretical when used about electric cars, with no data to support them.

The long tailpipe of a Nissan Leaf

So what of this argument? Is a Nissan Leaf really worse for climate change than a Honda Civic? Thankfully, some nerds over at the Union of Concerned Scientists got together and studied the issue. They published a report late last year on their findings, and the outcome is really quite interesting.

To make a long story short, an Electric Vehicle emits fewer greenhouse gases, from cradle to grave, than the equivalent gas-powered car. And how much better is mostly dependent on where you live.

(Really, Fucking Coal, Michigan?)

The chart above shows the equivalent average MPG necessary to equal an EV's greenhouse gas emissions for each region in the US. Even the dirtiest coal-reliant areas are about on par with a gas-powered Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla. Cat-loving region MROW and the phallic ERCT region of Texas are midpack. The cleanest areas like NYUP emit the same amount of greenhouse gas as a theoretical 135mpg car. Michigan, which produces no coal itself yet relies heavily on coal plants for power generation, unsurprisingly brings up the rear. 

(Smug emissions not shown)

As the graphic above shows in blue, the impact of battery manufacturing on greenhouse gas emissions is so small as to be inconsequential in comparison to the lifetime emissions of the vehicle itself. 

The great news for EV drivers is that their existing car gets cleaner each year, as the grid improves and the slow move towards renewable energy continues. As the table above shows, from 2009 to 2012 our nation decreased its use of coal - the dirtiest of all fuels - from 45% of all electricity generation to about 37%, a trend that is likely to continue. 

Of course, greenhouse gas emissions are only one measure of how clean a vehicle is, and defining the impact of EVs on particulates, NOx, and the physical impact on the environment was not within the scope of this report. 

Still, feel free to ignore that part, and use the above facts to bludgeon your opponents while arguing over the internet. It's the American way!