As electric vehicle (EV) adoption continues to grow, many consumers have questions about how EVs compare with gasoline vehicles in terms of environmental impact. There is a common misconception that EVs emit more over their lifetime due to the emission-intensive battery production process. While it is true that EVs generally produce higher emissions during manufacturing, they offset those emissions through cleaner operation in as little as 10 months, even when powered with the current electric grid mix, which is partially powered by fossil fuels.
The Great Plains Institute’s new Lifecycle Emissions Study Fact Sheet for Minnesota summarizes findings from our lifecycle emissions analysis, which compares greenhouse gas emissions from electric and gasoline-powered vehicles across every stage, from raw material extraction and manufacturing to vehicle use and end-of-life recycling. GPI developed this fact sheet for Minnesota, given our frequent work in the state on EV deployment, including through our Drive Electric Minnesota initiative.
The analysis found that even when powered by Minnesota’s current electric grid, EVs produce substantially fewer lifetime emissions than comparable gasoline vehicles. As the electric grid continues to incorporate more renewable energy and battery recycling expands, those climate benefits become even greater. The fact sheet dives into an example comparison of electric pickup trucks vs. conventional pickup trucks, looking at outcomes with today’s electric grid and with a clean grid in 2040.
The fact sheet highlights the following:
- How lifecycle emissions are calculated and why they provide a more complete picture of vehicle emissions.
- Why EVs have higher manufacturing emissions but lower operational emissions.
- When an electric pickup truck “breaks even” on emissions compared to a conventional pickup.
- How cleaner electricity and battery recycling further reduce EV emissions.
- Lifetime emissions comparisons for electric pickups, SUVs, and sedans.
As policy makers, businesses, and consumers make decisions about transportation investments, understanding the full environmental impact of vehicle technologies is increasingly important. This fact sheet provides an overview of the science behind lifecycle emissions and demonstrates why EVs are a key strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Read the Lifecycle Emissions Study Fact Sheet for Minnesota to learn how EVs compare with conventional vehicles over their entire lifetime.
Note: Authors Emmy Curtiss and Gabrielle Olson are no longer at GPI, and we thank them for their contributions to this work.
