Electric Vehicles: Reducing Air Pollution, Improving Our Future

Electric vehicles are an essential part of a clean energy future. They can dramatically reduce carbon pollution from transportation and improve air quality. A new report by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and the NRDC confirms that fueling transportation through electricity instead of petroleum can significantly reduce emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) and other air pollutants. In the Lower GHG Scenario, total emissions are reduced by 70% from 2015 levels. By 2050, the electricity sector could reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by 1700 million metric tons relative to 2015 levels, a 77% reduction.

Electric vehicles produce lower emissions than conventional vehicles

In addition, electric vehicles have a lower lifetime carbon footprint. A PEV today has 54% lower lifetime carbon pollution, and this reduction could be even larger by 2050, as much as 59 to 71% compared to a more efficient CV that achieves 48 miles per gallon in real-world driving. This is because the emissions from electric vehicles include battery manufacturing emissions and full-fuel-cycle emissions for electricity and gasoline, which are lower than the emissions from conventional vehicles.

It's important to note that producing the electricity to power electric vehicles can still generate emissions. However, those emissions levels are far lower than the pollution emitted by conventional vehicles. As the electric power sector cleans up over the next few decades, the emissions from electric vehicles are expected to decrease even further.

Overall, electric vehicles have the potential to dramatically reduce carbon pollution from transportation and improve air quality. This is essential for achieving a clean energy future and meeting climate-projection goals, such as an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels by 2050.

Electric vehicles improve air quality

The Lower GHG Scenario estimates that by 2050, the electricity sector could reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by 1700 million metric tons relative to 2015 levels, a 77% reduction. This is the equivalent of the emissions from 100 million of today's passenger cars.

In addition, the EPRI-NRDC Environmental Assessment evaluates the air quality impact of the net pollution changes in 2030 by comparing a base, non-electrified scenario with one that includes transportation electrification. The assessment found that electrification could displace emissions from conventional petroleum-fuelled vehicles for each scenario.

A PEV today has 54% lower lifetime carbon pollution than a comparable conventional vehicle. By 2050, the reduction could be larger, as much as 59 to 71% compared to a more efficient CV that achieves 48 miles per gallon in real-world driving. Electric vehicles are an essential part of a clean energy future and can help us achieve our climate-projection goals of an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels by 2050.

Electric vehicles reduce carbon pollution

In the Lower GHG Scenario, total emissions are reduced by 70% from 2015 levels. Plugging in an electric vehicle will result in lower carbon pollution than a comparable conventional vehicle (CV). In the Lower GHG scenario, carbon pollution is reduced by 550 million metric tons annually in 2050—equivalent to the emissions from 100 million of today's passenger cars.

A PEV today has 54% lower lifetime carbon pollution. In 2050, the reduction could be larger, as much as 59 to 71% compared to a more efficient CV that achieves 48 miles per gallon in real-world driving, depending on the electricity grid carbon intensity. In the Base GHG scenario, carbon pollution is reduced by 430 million metric tons annually in 2050—equivalent to the emissions from 80 million of today's passenger cars.

It is important to consider this study in the context of climate-projection goals that we are striving for: an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels by 2050.

Electric vehicles reduce greenhouse gas emissions

A PEV today has 54% lower lifetime carbon pollution than a comparable conventional vehicle (CV). In 2050, the reduction could be even larger, ranging from 59% to 71% depending on the electricity grid carbon intensity. The EPRI-NRDC Environmental Assessment also found that transportation electrification can improve air quality. By comparing a base, non-electrified scenario with one that includes transportation electrification, the assessment evaluated the air quality impact of net pollution changes in 2030.

It is important to consider the context of climate-projection goals when discussing the benefits of electric vehicles. The goal is to achieve an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels by 2050. Electric vehicles are an essential part of a clean energy future and can help to significantly reduce carbon pollution from transportation.

Electric vehicles are an essential part of a clean energy future

The report, titled *Environmental Assessment of a Full Electric Transportation Portfolio*, estimates that by 2050, the electricity sector could reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by 1700 million metric tons relative to 2015 levels, a 77% reduction. This is compared to a reduction of 550 million metric tons annually in the Lower GHG Scenario.

The study also found that electrification could displace emissions from conventional petroleum-fuelled vehicles. In the Base GHG scenario, carbon pollution is reduced by 430 million metric tons annually in 2050, the equivalent of the emissions from 80 million of today's passenger cars. This is further supported by the fact that a PEV today has 54% lower lifetime carbon pollution, and this reduction could be as much as 59 to 71% by 2050.

While producing the electricity to power electric vehicles can generate emissions, these emissions levels are far lower than the pollution emitted by conventional vehicles. As the electric power sector continues to clean up over the next few decades, electric vehicles will become an even more important part of reducing air pollution and achieving our climate-projection goals.

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