We know the debate about whether electric vehicles or diesel or petrol vehicles have a worse lifetime carbon footprint has ruined many a dinner party. We’re here to set that straight.
Unhelpfully, a recent article co-authored by a respected German economist claiming that Tesla Model 3 emits 11% to 28% more CO2Â over its lifespan than a Mercedes C220 diesel car does, gained some traction.
On the frontlines to refute the authors’ flawed argument was Auke Hoekstra, Senior Advisor on Electric Mobility at Eindhoven Technical University and Founder of ZEnMo Simulations.
In fact, Auke argues, we are grossly underestimating of the impact EV batteries have in emissions reduction, and overseeing their crucial role in the systematic change towards sustainable transportation. Auke has also found that the IPCC (or rather the IAMs they use) are also objectively underestimating the impact of EVs by keeping their prices unrealistically high, and therefore, adoption rates unrealistically low.
This is th…