Compare lifetime emissions of an electric vehicle against a petrol equivalent.
An EV carries a manufacturing carbon debt from its battery that is repaid through lower running emissions. On a typical European grid the payback is around two years, but on a coal-heavy grid it takes far longer. Grid intensity determines the whole answer: the same vehicle can cut emissions by 70 per cent or barely 20 depending on where it is charged.
Electric Vehicle Carbon Savings
EV emissions = kWh × grid intensity; petrol emissions = litres × 2.31 kg/L
EV emissions = kWh × grid intensity; petrol emissions = litres × 2.31 kg/L An EV carries a manufacturing carbon debt from its battery that is repaid through lower running emissions. On a typical European grid the payback is around two years, but on a coal-heavy grid it takes far longer.
Grid intensity determines the whole answer: the same vehicle can cut emissions by 70 per cent or barely 20 depending on where it is charged.
This calculator takes 6 inputs: Annual distance, EV consumption, Grid carbon intensity, Petrol consumption, Battery manufacturing emissions, Years owned. The pre-filled defaults are a realistic starting point — replace them with figures from your own environment for a result you can act on.