Certain types of electric vehicles (EVs) can emit more PM2.5 (fine particulate matter) than traditional gasoline vehicles primarily due to their increased mass, which influences non-exhaust emissions such as tire and brake wear. One study found that a sample EV weighing about 20% more than its gasoline counterpart had higher non-exhaust PM2.5 emissions, mainly because heavier vehicles generate more brake and tire wear particles. However, this difference is relatively small overall.
Key factors affecting PM2.5 emissions in EVs compared to gasoline vehicles include:
- Vehicle weight: Heavier EVs tend to produce more non-exhaust PM2.5 emissions due to greater tire and brake wear.
- Regenerative braking: EVs use regenerative braking to reduce conventional brake use; higher levels of regenerative braking substantially decrease brake wear and thus PM2.5 emissions. Increasing regenerative braking from 50% to 90% significantly narrows the emission gap between EVs and gasoline vehicles.
- Brake pad type on gasoline vehicles: Gasoline vehicles fitted with low-metallic brake pads can emit more PM2.5 from brake wear than EVs. Since low-metallic pads are cheaper and sometimes used as replacements, this can affect comparisons.
- EV size and type: Even heavier EVs with long electric ranges (e.g., certain SUVs like Kia e-Niro, Hyundai Kona Electric, Jaguar i-Pace) still tend to emit less overall PM2.5 than comparable diesel and petrol cars when considering all emission sources.
In summary, while some heavier EVs can have slightly higher non-exhaust PM2.5 emissions due to their weight, they generally emit less PM2.5 overall when regenerative braking and the absence of tailpipe emissions are considered. No specific EV types fundamentally emit more PM2.5 than gasoline vehicles on a total emissions basis; rather, vehicle mass, braking technology, and brake pad materials influence PM2.5 levels across both vehicle types.
Original article by NenPower, If reposted, please credit the source: https://nenpower.com/blog/are-there-specific-types-of-electric-vehicles-that-emit-more-pm2-5-than-traditional-gasoline-vehicles/
