With the global climate crisis becoming more and more concerning as time goes on, companies are now trying to develop more eco-friendly solutions to replace the previous, more harmful practices that threatened our environment. A particularly revolutionary solution that has seen a rise in popularity in recent years is the electric car. But how exactly do electric cars work, and are they really that eco-friendly?

What Is An Electric Car?

electric car charging

In a nutshell, an electric car doesn't rely on petrol or diesel to function, unlike the traditional cars that most people use. Instead, it relies on electricity. These cars contain an electric engine, an electric converter, and batteries, all of which make movement without traditional fuel possible. They also require a thermal system to maintain a standard operating temperature and an onboard charging port to allow for easy re-charge.

As you may know, these cars require charging using an electric output to continue functioning, but this isn't really the same as charging your phone or laptop. While many of us charge our personal devices on a daily basis, most electric cars only need to be charged once every one or two months. Of course, if you drive a lot, you may need to charge it more regularly, but you'll never be plugging your car in every day, which makes them pretty convenient to use.

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Electric car owners tend to charge their cars at home, but there are now public electric charging stations that operate in the same way as your average gas station. However, most charging stations are totally free to use, unlike any gas station you'll come across.

The big upside of the electric car is that it doesn't release harmful emissions into the atmosphere. The problem with traditional vehicles is that they emit carbon dioxide, as well as other greenhouse gases. These gases then trap heat in the atmosphere, creating a similar warming effect to a greenhouse (hence their name). Such gases are huge contributors to global temperature rises, causing our polar ice caps to melt and sea levels to rise.

Because electric cars do not require fuel, they don't have exhausts and don't release greenhouse gases. So, they seem like the ultimate solution in the effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, right? Well, it isn't really that simple.

Are Electric Cars Really Eco-Friendly?

electric car at charging station

While electric cars don't directly emit greenhouse gases when in use, their carbon footprint certainly isn't zero. The manufacturing process of electric cars is energy-intensive and has its own considerable environmental impact.

This may surprise you, but studies have revealed that it actually requires more energy to produce an electric car than it does to produce a traditional one. Therefore, the manufacturing process of electric cars has a higher carbon footprint overall. This is mainly down to the materials needed.

The metals required to construct an electric car are more lightweight than those needed for traditional versions. However, manufacturing these high-performance metals requires a lot of energy, which feeds into the production process's overall carbon footprint.

On top of this, it's important to remember that electric cars still require a form of energy to function. So while using electricity to operate doesn't directly release fossil fuels, the production of the electricity itself most likely does.

Say, for example, that you're an American citizen who owns an electric car. Given that 83% of U.S electricity comes from non-renewable resources (or fossil fuels) such as coal, oil, and gas, you're most likely going to be charging your electric car using resources that damage the planet.

The production of electricity via these materials requires them to be burned, releasing huge amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. So, even though your electric car isn't directly emitting greenhouse gases, you're probably playing a role in the emission of such gases when you pop it on charge.

So, neither traditional nor electric cars can totally avoid some sort of carbon footprint. But does that mean electric cars aren't worth it?

Should I Buy An Electric Car?

white tesla picture

It's important to understand an electric car's environmental impact if you're thinking of buying one to reduce your carbon footprint. So, how much better are they for the planet than traditional cars, if at all?

An average electric car requires around 15kWh of electricity to travel 100km. So, on average, it would need just under 2,000kWh a year to function. In financial terms alone, this would cost considerably less than a traditional car. With the average figures suggested, it'll cost you around $660 a year to power an electric car. Pretty affordable, right?

Related: Is Your Electric Vehicle Charger a Security Risk?

Well, it's also important to keep in mind that electric cars tend to cost more than traditional cars. You can get a basic electric Tesla model for around $42,000. However, you can also get a super-sleek petrol-fuelled Audi A4 for around the same price. You could get a brand new BMW 2 series for even less, with average sale prices at around $35,000. And you can certainly find plenty of other petrol-fuelled models for considerably less, such as your average Kia or Toyota.

In terms of environmental impact, this really differs with each and every model of car. The average electric car does indeed have a lower carbon footprint than petrol or diesel-fuelled cars. Although it requires more energy to produce electric cars, their electric life cycle produces a lower carbon footprint than traditional vehicles. In fact, it has been found that an electric car with a battery produced in China and driven in Poland still emits 22% less CO2 than diesel and 28% less than petrol.

So, the environmental benefits of electric cars are pretty clear. Though they may cost more to purchase outright, their lower operating costs and kinder environmental impact make them a better choice for our planet than traditional vehicles.

We Can Only Hope That More Eco-Friendly Solutions Continue to be Developed

With the effects of climate change already worryingly clear, companies and governments must focus on creating a carbon-neutral world. Though electric cars are becoming more and more popular, we also need to find greener solutions in other aspects of our lives to truly save the planet. Let's hope we continue to see more and more green innovations over the next few decades!