Are Electric Cars Better for the Environment?

How are EVs greener than petrol/diesel cars?

Renewable energy sources

The UK has dramatically decarbonised its power generation in recent years by using less emitting natural gases and increasing its supply of renewables. The country also brought an end to the use of coal to generate electricity with the closure of its last coal-fired power plant in October 2024. With the country reducing its reliance on gas and turning instead to more renewable sources, its energy grid continues to get greener every year.

Importantly, EVs can be powered by these renewable energy sources, which makes them even better for the planet than ICE cars which can only run by burning fossil fuels.

Efficiency 

Generally speaking, EVs are much more efficient at using their energy than equivalent ICE cars. For starters, electric cars can benefit from a process called regenerative braking, where the car is able to capture the energy lost during braking to recharge the battery. Not only is this more energy-efficient, but it also reduces wear and tear on the brakes. 

But crucially, electric car drive trains have significantly fewer moving parts than engines found in petrol or diesel cars. As a result, EVs lose far less energy via heat or friction between parts. This means even if an EV’s electricity is generated by coal (which, in the UK at least, is no longer possible), it will still be more energy-efficient than an ICE equivalent as it will use that energy more efficiently. 

Tip: you can find the average efficiency of different electric cars in our vehicle guides.

Less noise pollution

Air pollution is a big concern, especially in major urban centres, as many harmful gases contribute to climate change and the negative effects it brings. But noise pollution is also a significant issue that is linked to numerous health problems, from the more obvious things like hearing loss and tinnitus to migraines, anxiety, depression, and even sleep-related disorders.

Electric cars are quiet because they’re powered by an electric motor, meaning the only sound they actually produce comes from the tyres. In fact, the sounds they do produce are less than the legal limit for vehicles, currently 72 decibels in the UK. This means EVs are better not just for air quality, but also combating noise pollution.

What about lithium-ion EV batteries?

When talking about electric cars being greener, questions are inevitably raised around the environmental impact of their lithium-ion batteries, and with good reason.

Lithium is the most commonly used element in the production of EV batteries for a number of reasons:

• It can carry a high amount of energy

• It has a high power-to-weight ratio

• It has high energy efficiency

• It has a low self-discharge rate

Whilst these make it ideal for use in EV batteries, it is recognised that the process of mining lithium poses environmental challenges, including air and water pollution, contamination of groundwater, and the degradation of nearby land. It’s also an energy intensive process, although notably less so than the CO2 released during the production and use of other fossil fuels.

With demand for EVs on the rise, the global demand for lithium has increased, with many car brands exploring other battery types or more sustainable mining methods.

That said, the energy used to extract it and the environmental impact are offset over the lifetime of the electric car, due to the lower fuel production emissions and lack of tailpipe emissions. This means when you take into account everything else, EVs are still ultimately greener than ICE cars.

Driving style also affects a car’s impact on the environment

Whatever kind of car you drive, you will use less energy if you pull away gently, and longer journeys use more carbon per mile and thus create more pollutants. Whilst the latter is less of a concern for EVs due to their lack of emissions and drawing power from renewables, the former still holds true; driving more efficiently and carefully means your car will be overall more efficient and waste less energy.

When you charge matters as much as how

The UK energy grid’s carbon intensity varies depending on how much power is currently in demand and what mixture of sources are in use. For example, the UK’s grid is greener on windier days as more energy will be supplied by wind farms. Or, if you have solar panels, you’ll naturally generate more solar energy than on cloudier days. Similarly, energy demand is typically lowest overnight when we’re all in bed, making it a greener (and often cheaper) time to charge.

Whilst it’s not entirely practical to always try and time your charges for these periods, you can use various tools to see the grid’s current carbon intensity, and use that information to make your charging greener.