An electric battery car (BEV) registered today in Europe emits, throughout its life cycle, 73% of greenhouse gases less than an equivalent petrol car. This is the most clear figure that emerges from a new and in -depth study of the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), an independent research organization that has compared all the main engines in an analysis “From cot to tomb”. A result that not only confirms the advantage of electric mobility, but strengthens it: just a few years ago, in 2021, the same entity estimated this gap to 59%.
This growing environmental convenience is linked with a double wire with the energy transition of the continent. The study, entitled “Life-Cgycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Passenger Cars in the European Union: at 2025 update and key factors to consider”, shows how electric cars become cleaner as the electricity grid is decarbonizes. The researchers calculated that a ber, using the medium electric mix provided in the EU for its entire life cycle (2025-2044), produces about 63 grams of equivalent CO2 per kilometer (GCO2 and/Km). If the same vehicle were powered exclusively with energy from renewable sources, emissions would collapse at only 52 GCO2 and/km, reaching a 78% reduction compared to a petrol car.
The analysis of the AGGT is based on a rigorous LCA methodology (Life-Cycle Assessment), which considers each phase of the process: from the extraction of the raw materials for frame and battery, to the production of the vehicle, passing through the generation of fuel or electricity, use on the road, maintenance, up to the final disposal. One of the most common doubts are thus faced: the impact of production. An electric car, especially due to the battery, has initial emissions higher than a thermal model (about 40% more). However, this ecological “debt” is canceled quickly: according to the report, about 17,000 kilometers of driving are enough to compensate for the extra emissions of the manufacturing phase.
Comparison with hybrids and other engines
If the electrics also accelerate, hybrid cars, often seen as a middle ground, remain far behind. According to the study, traditional hybrids (Hev) and plug-ins (PHEVs) show a reduction in the emissions of the life cycle, compared to a petrol vehicle, respectively only 20% and 30%. A modest benefit, almost three times less than that of a ber. The Achilles heel of the plug-in hybrids, in particular, is the gap between approved and real consumption. The data collected by millions of vehicles circulating in the EU reveal that drivers use them much more often with the combustion engine than expected, recharging the rare battery. This translates into a fuel consumption in the real world which is on average higher than 240% compared to the values declared in the WLTP tests.
Furthermore, the analysis of the AGGT warns on how the choice of calculation parameters can alter the results. The use of non -representative data – such as a life cycle of the shorter vehicle of the 20 real 20 years, the consumption values from laboratory tests (WLTP) instead of those on the road, or an obsolete electric mix – leads to incorrect conclusions. In these distorted scenarios, traditional cars emissions are underestimated, while those of electric vehicles are overestimated up to 64%.
For completeness, the report also analyzes other food: diesel cars have emissions of the life cycle almost identical to the petrol ones (234 against 235 gco2 and/km), while natural gas vehicles offer a contained reduction, equal to about 13%. The final message is therefore clear: to reach climatic targets, only battery and hydrogen electric vehicles (but only if produced by renewables) guarantee a large -scale decarbonization potential.
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