Yes, EVs are an answer to emissions

An image of city traffic. An intro to compare emission levels in EVs and ICE vehicles.

Ajith Nair- Oct 20, 2023 / Updated- Oct 28, 2023

The age of EV brings with it a promise of emission-free mobility. But whether it’s because of misguided ideas or groups with an interest in “debunking”, there’s one argument constantly brought up:

“Electric vehicles use electricity generated by burning coal. That’s worse than regular cars and does not help the case of emission”.

This is plainly untrue. Especially today, when there have been several studies proving EVs to be the cleaner and more efficient choice. Coming to the topic of EVs and coal power plants–here are 3 things everyone should know.

The reduction in emission is clear

To say that EVs are cleaner for the environment is not a namesake. Studies from the Union Of Concerned Scientists, USA show that even when powered by coal plants, EVs generate 50% less emissions compared to ICE vehicles.

A study on EVs’ efficiency by an Indian grid expert–would produce similar results. You may refer to it here.

There’s a significant edge in efficiency

Research from Science Direct proves coal power plants to be 38%–45% efficient in management–compared to about 25% in internal combustion engines. While the engine of a car is primarily tuned for performance, power plants largely operate on efficiency.

Also note the users who’ve installed solar panels at their homes–for an EV running on 100% renewable energy. In fact, 40% of India’s electricity is renewable. This means the future for EVs is only getting cleaner.

Emissions and health hazards

The emissions from coal power plants are generally a single source. Not only is it relatively easier to control and cleanse the air, but these plants are often situated far away from the population.

This is certainly not the case with oil vehicles, and their health hazards are plenty. As per an article in the International Journal of Environmental Research & Public Health, April 2021–air pollution is involved in 6.7 million deaths worldwide. And most air pollution in cities is caused by petrol and diesel vehicles.

If you’re generally concerned about EV and its implications, hope this article helps. While electric vehicles wouldn’t eliminate emission altogether, the future of mobility is certainly cleaner–without question.

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