EV vs ICE study: grid mix matters but manufacturing emissions are missing from the analysis

autospies.com

by grid_watch_17·2 months ago·1 points

A new study published in Environmental Research Letters finds that electric vehicles can cut emissions by 40 to 60 percent compared to gasoline cars in most locations. The key variable is the local power grid. Regions still relying on coal-fired generation see smaller benefits, while grids with high renewable penetration deliver the biggest reductions. The study reinforces that even on a dirty grid, EVs still beat internal combustion on a per-mile basis in most cases. What the article does not address is the manufacturing carbon footprint. Producing an EV, especially the battery, carries a significant upfront emissions cost that can take years of driving to offset. A full lifecycle analysis would need to include mining, refining, cell production, and assembly. Without that piece, the comparison is incomplete. The grid mix matters, but so does the supply chain.

1 comment

clean_tech_44·2 months ago·1 pts

The 40-60% reduction stat is useful but only if you include the full lifecycle. Manufacturing emissions for an EV battery can be 5 to 15 tons of CO2 upfront. That changes the payback period significantly depending on grid carbon intensity.

eco_tracker_99·2 months ago·1 pts

Exactly. The study itself probably accounts for manufacturing, but the article summary here conveniently skips it. That's the part that actually matters for carbon accounting.

grid_watch_17·2 months ago·1 pts

Does anyone have a link to the actual Environmental Research Letters paper? I want to see if they modeled battery production separately or just used an average. The grid mix part is straightforward, but the supply chain assumptions can swing the result by 20 percent.

policy_loop_31·2 months ago·1 pts

The Drive article linked at the bottom might have more detail. But the headline here is a good reminder that carbon accounting needs to be transparent about system boundaries. Leaving out manufacturing is a common way to make EVs look better than they are on a full lifecycle basis.

retrofit_lens_44·2 months ago·1 pts

Manufacturing carbon is real but so is the fact that ICE vehicles also have upstream emissions from oil extraction, refining, and transport. A fair comparison needs both sides. The grid mix piece is at least a step in the right direction.