According to the European Environment Agency (EEA), internal combustion cars are responsible for around 15% of CO2 emissions. To reduce this figure, numerous initiatives have been put in place by the government to encourage the development of electric cars. But are they really ecological? Where are we today? Qovoltis helps you unravel what's true from what's false.
“The electric car is not 100% ecological”
It is indeed true... because no car is the east! Although the terms “zero emissions” or “zero carbon” are sometimes used to describe electric vehicles, a car — regardless of its engine — will always generate impacts, both for its manufacture and for its use or recycling.
To reduce the carbon impact of transport, the most ecological solution remains to drive less and to use public transport. But as soon as the use of a vehicle is necessary, an electric car is the best option. Indeed, unlike the combustion car, it does not have an exhaust pipe and cannot emit CO2. But what about the carbon impact during its production?
“The electric car emits more CO2 Only the combustion car”
It is wrong. Although the electric car actually emits more CO2 during manufacture than a combustion car, it remains 15 times less emissive during use. According to Ademe (the Agency for Ecological Transition), the carbon impact of a thermal vehicle is thus 2 to 5 times higher than an electric vehicle in France over its entire lifespan.
While the electric car is not a miracle solution, the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) recognizes that it offers “the greatest decarbonization potential for land transport”. It is therefore one of the most interesting solutions for decarbonizing mobility.
In his Last review on electric cars, however, Ademe recommends “choosing a vehicle model that is as small and light as possible, adapted to home-work trips”. To be as environmentally friendly as possible, it should be equipped with a maximum 60 kWh battery. This power is generally sufficient for the majority of trips.
“The battery in an electric car is not recyclable”
It is wrong ! Despite popular belief, the Li-ion battery in an electric car is recyclable. The only condition: it must be at the end of its life. At present, the development of the industrial recycling sector to recover a maximum of metals is continuing to develop and continue to be organized. The objective: to reduce the demand for virgin materials and thus, the ecological consequences associated with their extraction.
As such, the European Commission plans to impose targets on battery manufacturers: from 2030, they must contain at least 85% lead, 12% cobalt, 4% lithium and 4% recycled nickel. These proportions will increase in the following years.
But that's not all: to extend the life of batteries, it is possible to give them a second life and reuse them for storage purposes (to store the electricity produced by solar panels, for example). Reuse, like recycling, thus continue to develop at the industrial level.
Also to read: What is the lifespan of an electric car?
“The electric car will become even more ecological in the future”
It is true, at least we are heading in the right direction! The rapid development of electric mobility and the rise of the market are leading manufacturers to develop ever more efficient and ecological solutions. This is particularly the case for the lithium battery, which promises to have a minimal CO2 footprint with an excellent recycling rate in the coming years. In particular, it should require less cobalt, an extremely expensive metal.
Also to read: Lithium battery: everything you need to know about its use
Sources: Les Echos, Vert, Ecoconso, What to choose, Futura.
