An Analysis of the Environmental Impact of Electric Vehicles

Abstract

Electric cars are powered by electric motors, using electricity stored in a battery or batteries. The possible advantages of such cars compared to conventional ones are mainly reflected in less air pollution in cities, less dependence on fossil fuels, cost-effectiveness for a longer period, and the like. According to Bloomberg estimates, in 2035, half of the cars sold worldwide will be electric cars. Electric cars have numerous environmental benefits, however, it is important to draw attention to the origin of electricity. The energy needs of humanity are divided into three major groups: electricity, traffic and heating. Overall, 84.3% of energy consumed in 2019 comes from fossil fuels. It is clear that almost all the energy needed for transport still comes from fossil fuels, and when it comes to electricity production, as much as 63.3% comes from fossil fuels (Our World In Data, 2019). Road transport is responsible for 22% of total CO2 emissions, a record 40% of NOx, 12% of particulate matter (PM10, PM2.5) (Stepanović & Tubić, 2017). Although traffic around the world is increasingly realized through the use of electricity, its production is often not environmentally friendly. However, some countries have developed energy systems relying almost entirely on less polluting or non-polluting energy sources. Within this paper, comparative analyzes of air pollution of cars with SUS engine and electric drive are presented, namely: analysis of air pollution by different vehicle models and analysis in different countries. The impact of both direct and indirect effects using the Climobile App, a Luxembourg institute of science and technology, was considered.