Electric vehicle (EV) owners typically have larger overall carbon footprints than non-EV owners despite their eco-friendly transportation choices, according to a recent study.
The research, published in the journal PLOS One, suggests this counterintuitive finding is linked to the higher average wealth of EV owners.
The team analyzed data from 3,857 respondents to the CLIMATE NUDGE survey conducted across Finland in 2022. Their findings paint a nuanced picture of the relationship between EV ownership and overall environmental impact.
"It is known that higher income usually leads to a higher carbon footprint, as higher income individuals often have larger homes, travel more and buy more things," the study's lead author, Nils Sandman, told Newsweek.
"The early adopters of EVs in Finland tend to have higher income than average, and this is most likely the reason why they also have a higher carbon footprint."
Sandman believes these findings are likely to apply globally, noting that "psychological factors affecting EV attitudes are quite universal."
The study found that EV owners tend to be wealthier than average, more highly educated and drive more miles annually, all of which contribute to their larger overall carbon footprints.
Significant differences in emissions were revealed. EV households averaged 8.66 metric tons of CO2 equivalent annually, while non-EV car households were slightly lower at 8.05 metric tons. Car-free households had the lowest carbon footprints, averaging just 5.75 metric tons.
However, as the emissions are estimates based on a self-assessed survey, they're not the gold standard for calculating exact carbon emissions and should "instead be seen as a rough estimation to rank participants in relation to each other," the authors wrote.
The study highlights the need for a broader perspective on EV adoption. While EVs produce fewer emissions than traditional internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs), the authors pointed out that they "have a positive net effect on overall emissions only if they replace driving done with ICEVs."
They cautioned against policies that unintentionally encourage non-car owners to purchase EVs, stating, "It would be counterproductive if interventions aiming to reduce emissions from transportation resulted in making EVs more attractive and steering people who do not own a car to purchase an EV."
The researchers also warn that promoting EVs at the expense of public transportation and active commuting could undermine broader environmental goals, suggesting a more balanced approach is needed.
"The lifestyle with the least emissions is one without any type of car," they said, though they acknowledged that in areas with limited public transportation, EVs remain a valuable tool for reducing emissions.
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References
Sandman, N., Sahari, E., & Koponen, A. (2024). But can it drive to Lapland? A comparison of electric vehicle owners with the general population for identification of attitudes, concerns and barriers related to electric vehicle adoption in Finland. PLOS Climate, 3(10). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pclm.0000346
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