A small electrical SUV with 300 miles of vary produces 52% fewer life-cycle greenhouse gasoline emissions than a comparable gasoline car, in accordance with the U.S. Division of Vitality (DOE).
Greenhouse gasoline emissions from manufacturing and distribution are at present round double that of gasoline manufacturing and distribution, the DOE notes, however that is greater than offset by the tailpipe emissions of gasoline automobiles, which signify almost three quarters of their whole life-cycle emissions.
Comparability of 2024 lifetime greenhouse gasoline emissions of small SUVs (through U.S. Division of Vitality)
And whereas producing and burning fossil fuels won’t ever get cleaner, it is potential for total EV emissions to lower via using renewable vitality to energy the grid. That is already taking place. The Union of Involved Scientists (UCS) in 2020 discovered that 94% of Individuals already lived in a spot the place, based mostly on the native grid, electrical automobiles had been cleaner than 50-mpg gasoline automobiles.
That being stated, different evaluation has discovered that SUVs are nonetheless not your best option for the setting no matter whether or not they’re powered by electrical energy or gasoline. The Worldwide Vitality Company (IEA) stated earlier this yr that SUVs emit 20% extra CO2 in comparison with automobiles no matter powertrain sort. If these further emissions had been in comparison with international locations, they’d make SUVs the world’s fifth largest CO2 polluter, in accordance with the IEA.
2025 Hyundai Kona Electrical
The IEA additionally warned in 2023 that the SUV market is fueling world oil demand, countering a few of the emissions reductions one may hope to see from larger EV adoption. SUVs are typically heavier than automobiles, which impacts effectivity of combustion and electrical powertrains alike. That inefficiency is magnified by elevated world SUV gross sales, which reached a file 48% in 2023, in accordance with the IEA.
On this case the DOE’s distinction between total SUV emissions and people of smaller fashions is essential. The DOE beforehand famous that smaller SUVs are higher for the setting when it comes to CO2 emissions, and that EVs and plug-in hybrids are higher nonetheless.