Electric vehicles emit fewer greenhouse gases than most other forms of transportation.

author: FutureCar Staff    

New analysis from the Department for Transport (DfT) has provided insights into the environmental impact of different fuel types and modes of transport. The study revealed that when it comes to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, electric cars rank second only to coaches in terms of being the least polluting.

Travelling by train is slightly less polluting than electric cars, but it falls behind due to its direct CO2 emissions, which electric vehicles do not produce. Direct emissions are generated by the type of transport itself, while indirect emissions include CO2 from the production of the fuel used. In the case of electric vehicles, this refers to electricity generation.

For a journey between London and Glasgow, the average petrol car emits more than four times the amount of CO2e per passenger compared to a coach, and three times more than an electric car, taking into account emissions from electricity generation and distribution. Furthermore, a plane journey emits nearly twice as much CO2e per passenger as a journey by a petrol car.

Plane journeys that carry many passengers have significantly high levels of GHG emissions. They also require additional journeys to and from the airport and have uncertain climatic effects beyond the emissions themselves. Consequently, planes can produce more GHG emissions than cars.

However, for the journey from Leeds to Belfast, the DfT highlights that cars emit much greater GHG emissions due to the additional distance they need to travel to reach the ferry terminal. The efficiency of a journey in terms of emissions can be improved by taking a more direct route, which is also why example train journeys provided by the DfT show lower estimated total emissions.

The statistics further reveal that in 2021, cars accounted for 75% of the road vehicle miles traveled within the UK but produced 57% of transport emissions. On the other hand, HGVs made up only 6% of the vehicle miles but contributed disproportionately higher emissions at 21%.

Jack Cousens, the AA's head of roads policy, believes that these statistics demonstrate how electric vehicles will eventually transform the greenhouse gas profile of private cars in the near future. Cousens also emphasizes that increasing the share of wind, solar, and tidal power in the UK's electricity generation will not only make car journeys greener but also reduce travel costs.

According to the DfT report, domestic transport was responsible for emitting 109 MtCO2e (million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent) in the UK in 2021, marking a 10% increase from 2020. However, emissions remain below historic trends. Transport is the largest emitting sector of GHG emissions in the UK, accounting for 26% of the country's total emissions in 2021 (427 MtCO2e). Meanwhile, emissions from international aviation decreased by 10% from 2020 to 13.3 MtCO2e, following a significant drop of 64% in 2020.

On average, each local authority emitted 304 kilotonnes of CO2e from transport, with 32% of Nitrogen Oxides (NOX) emissions and 14% of particulate matter less than 2.5 micrometres across (PM2.5) emissions originating from the transport sector. Matas Buzelis, a car expert at CarVertical, expressed disappointment at the 10% increase in greenhouse emissions from domestic vehicles in 2021. Buzelis believes that although the emission levels are lower than historical norms, the UK should not regress. There is a concern that the government's decision to postpone the ban on petrol and diesel cars until 2035 may hinder progress.

FutureCar Staff