Are Electric Cars Better for the Environment?

So is switching from ICEs to EVs really a greener option? We explore the question in this guide.

Last updated: Dec 02, 2024 6 min read

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Summary

With electric vehicles (EVs) becoming more popular due to their better performance and being more sustainable, drivers often ask how much greener they are than internal combustion engine (ICE) cars.

By moving from petrol or diesel to an equivalent electric car, drivers can significantly reduce their carbon footprint, combat noise and air pollution, and improve the UK's environment.

How are EVs greener than petrol/diesel cars?

Perhaps the most obvious way is their lack of emissions. No exhaust means no harmful exhaust gases, which is a particular problem in densely populated urban areas like London.

But there are plenty of other things about electric cars that make them much better than ICE equivalents.

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.

Tip: our award-winning Solo 3S home charging system lets drivers with solar panels use their excess solar energy to charge their EVs, allowing them to charge and drive using the ultimate renewable energy source – the Sun!

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.

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.

Tip: EVs are so much quieter that there are some safety concerns that pedestrians can’t hear them. However, they are legally required to emit a sound of 56+ decibels, precisely to keep pedestrians alert and safe, whilst still being overall quieter than petrol or diesel engines.

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.

Tip: you can further improve the positive environmental impact of your EV by pairing it with a renewable energy tariff. The Pod Point Plug & Power bundle includes an award-winning Solo 3S home charging system and an exclusive 2-year fixed low-cost energy tariff supplied by EDF, the UK’s largest zero-carbon energy provider.

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.

Tip: the Pod Point App has a feature called Grid CO2 Insights, a 48-hour forecast of the grid’s carbon intensity in your region, provided by National Grid. By using it, you can charge during periods of lower carbon intensity and further reduce your carbon footprint.

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