Study finds EVs quickly overcome their energy-intensive build to be cleaner than gas cars

"While there is a bigger carbon footprint in the very short term because of the manufacturing process in creating the batteries for electric vehicles, very quickly you come out ahead in CO2 emissions by year three and then for all of the rest of the vehicle lifetime, you're far ahead and so cumulatively much lower carbon footprint, said Drew Shindell, an earth science professor at Duke University and study co-author."

"The researchers evaluated several harmful air pollutants monitored by the Environmental Protection Agency, as well as emissions data, to compare the relative impact over time of EVs and internal combustion engines on air quality and climate change. Their analysis said that EVs produce 30% higher carbon dioxide emissions than gasoline vehicles in their first two years. That can be attributed to the energy-intensive production and manufacturing processes involved in mining lithium for EV batteries."

"But a new study says that EVs quickly make up for that with less overall emissions through two years of use than a gas-powered vehicle. The study also estimated that gas-powered vehicles cause at least twice as much environmental damage over their lifetimes as EVs, and said the benefits of EVs can be expected to increase in coming decades as clean sources of power, such as solar and wind, are brought onto the grid."

Electric vehicle manufacturing and battery production are energy-intensive and produce higher carbon dioxide and pollutant emissions initially, notably about 30% higher CO2 in the first two years of use due to lithium mining and manufacturing. Within two to three years of operation EVs offset the production carbon and then maintain substantially lower CO2 and air-quality impacts across the vehicle lifetime. Internal-combustion gasoline vehicles cause at least twice as much environmental damage over their lifetimes compared with EVs. Further reductions in EV lifecycle emissions are expected as the power grid adds more clean energy such as solar and wind.

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