Most major carmakers have announced a commitment to electrify their vehicles. These pledges promise to reduce pollution and provide a better driving experience. But some Vermonters question whether the environmental impact of electric vehicles and their batteries might outweigh the benefits. Others worry about the emissions from the electricity that powers these vehicles.

We pulled together research and advice from automotive experts to answer some of these questions.

How do EV emissions compare to gas-powered vehicles?

EVs can create drastically fewer emissions than gas cars over the life of the vehicle, especially on Vermont’s relatively clean electric grid. All-electric vehicles generate less than 30% as many carbon emissions as comparable gas-powered cars over their lifetime.

There are two categories of greenhouse gas emissions to consider when thinking about how "green" an EV is. "Upstream emissions" refers to the emissions generated by producing electricity to power the car. "Lifecycle emissions" measures the total emissions of the car, from manufacturing and battery production all the way to battery recycling at the end of the car's life. Let's look at how EV emissions match up with fossil-fueled vehicles.

Upstream emissions from electricity generation

Generating the electricity used to charge EVs may create carbon pollution, depending on how the power gets made. Using fossil fuels like coal or natural gas produces more emissions, while renewable energy like wind, solar, or hydropower is cleaner.

In Vermont, our state is now getting 69% of its total electricity from renewable energy sources, compared to 21% nationally. Vermont aims to have 100% of all energy obtained from renewable sources by 2035.

In New England, driving an EV is like driving a gas vehicle that gets 111 mpg.

Lifecycle emissions from manufacturing, use, and disposal of EVs

The International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) found that all-electric vehicles have the lowest lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions of all vehicle types. In Vermont, EVs generate just 14% as many lifecycle emissions as comparable gas cars.

EVs are slightly more carbon-intensive to manufacture due to their batteries. But they become more climate-friendly than gas cars after about two years.

Visit our Fact Checker page to find emissions calculators that dive into more details.

What happens to old electric car batteries?

EV batteries are usually under warranty for eight to ten years or 100,000 to 150,000 miles (whichever comes first). According to Recurrent, a company that analyzes EV battery data, for EVs built in 2016 or later, there is a less than 1 percent chance that the battery will need to be replaced over the lifetime of the car. Here are some things to know about the end of a battery's life:

Second life opportunities.

The end of a battery’s life in a vehicle could be the start of a new life. Many batteries may not have enough capacity for longer-distance travel in an EV, but they can still safely store substantial amounts of energy, especially when bundled together. Automakers and the storage industry are developing these capabilities. One day, these batteries could power neighborhoods or meet other energy storage needs.

Recycling is improving.

Most of today's lithium-ion batteries are recyclable. But it can be tough to separate the materials for reuse at an affordable cost. Battery recyclers like Redwood Materials, Ascend Elements, and the US Department of Energy are also supporting research into new battery recycling processes. Increased recycling of the batteries sold today will help reduce the need for sourcing new battery materials and lessen the impact of disposing of batteries at the end of their lives.

EV battery technology is still evolving.

New technologies like solid-state batteries should offer even longer lifespans. This would further reduce lifecycle emissions from EV production. It would also help bring down the cost of longer-range EVs.

Are there other issues associated with EV battery production?

The batteries currently used in most electric cars require raw materials like lithium, graphite, nickel, and cobalt. Mining these materials, like extracting fossil fuels to power gasoline vehicles, can have significant social and environmental impacts. The automotive and battery technology industries and researchers around the world are developing new battery technologies that reduce or eliminate the use of sensitive EV materials. For example, Tesla has implemented lithium iron phosphate battery components in some of their most affordable models, with much lower cobalt requirements than their other batteries. Other carmakers and industry partners are also addressing responsible sourcing and processing of EV battery materials. Many manufacturers have committed to reducing the environmental footprint of batteries.

The future is going electric

So, are EVs better for the environment? The answer is yes – especially with Vermont’s clean electricity. But there is still work to do. Industry partners are already working to reduce the impact of resource extraction for EV materials, and ongoing research and manufacturing improvements will ensure EVs continue living up to their green promise.

“ Rapid advancements in battery technology are poised to accelerate the pace of the global energy transition ”
Rocky Mountain Institute

A version of this article was originally published on efficiencyvermont.com.