Electric car shock: Making green vehicles causes more CO2 than making fuel models

The manufacture of electric vehicles produces 63 percent more carbon dioxide than the manufacture of gasoline or diesel models.

This means that some zero-emission vehicles need to be driven nearly 50,000 miles before they are as “green” as fossil-fuel cars.

The reveal threatens to undermine the prime minister’s plan to achieve net zero emissions by banning sales of new gasoline and diesel cars from 2030.

And they suggest that the green transportation revolution could dramatically increase emissions if electric vehicle production increased before the switch.

According to the report, the production of an all-electric Polestar 2 – owned by Volvo – generates 24 tons of carbon dioxide, compared to 14 tons for a petrol-powered Volvo XC40.

The study commissioned by Honda, Aston Martin, Bosch and McLaren states: “You would have to drive 48,700 miles with a Polestar 2 before the carbon footprint is smaller than that of a Volvo XC40. Studies by Volkswagen in which the E-Golf was compared with the Diesel Golf have shown similar results. ‘

The study’s authors say the results prove that electric vehicles are “not a silver bullet” to helping the UK achieve net zero emissions by 2050. They suggest that ministers should instead focus on reducing emissions in the vehicle production process.

Some emission-free vehicles have to be driven almost 80,000 kilometers before they are as “green” as cars that run on fossil fuels (file photo)

In a foreword to the report, Labor MP Matt Western, chairman of the all-party parliamentary group on motor vehicles, said: “Having a clear and achievable goal for ending gasoline and diesel car sales is critical for the industry to focus on Prepare Management In moving to a cleaner future, we shouldn’t be fooled that this alone will solve the problem. We need to look at decarbonising the vehicle and fuel to really hope to meet our CO2 reduction ambitions. ‘

Despite supporting a green switch, auto bosses fear the 2030 date will be too ambitious, when electric vehicles will only make up 0.3 percent of the cars on the UK’s roads.

High up-front costs and a shortage of chargers on residential streets have been blamed for stagnating demand as zero-emission cars are still viewed as a luxury by many households.

The heads of BMW and Honda Europe are among the leading industry leaders who have criticized the ban as poorly thought out.

AA President Edmund King said the 2030 date was “incredibly ambitious” and called for “significant investment” in collecting infrastructure and incentive grants to increase sales.

Electric vehicle prices start at around £ 30,000, although they keep getting cheaper. A big incentive is the government’s Plug-in Car Scholarship, which gives electric car buyers up to £ 50,000 a discount of £ 3,000 by 2023.