Buying an electric car could be seen as ultimate green statement, especially when the showroom is filled with zero emissions brochures extolling the eco credentials of these cars. Okay, there are no tail pipe emissions as you travel, which is a great thing if you live and travel in an urban environment, however, the green credentials – in terms of CO2 emissions – become a little hazy when you factor in the CO2 generated in electricity generation.
We’ve recently added electric car running cost to the Sust-it site, our calculations include CO2 generated from electricity generation. This has certainly thrown-up some interesting emission figures for an electric cars, charged by standard mains electricity. For instance, the Nissan Leaf the first mass-produced electric car emits more CO2, than the most efficient diesels available today, according to Vehicle Certification Agency energy label testing data.
If you are considering purchasing an electric car on eco grounds, it’s worth remembering that you will need to buy or generate your electricity from renewable sources for the CO2 emissions to be substantially lower than the most efficient diesels!
