Emissions from electric vehicle (EV) battery production and internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle production differ significantly. Here’s a comparison:
Emissions from EV Battery Production
- EV Battery Emissions: The production of EV batteries results in substantial greenhouse gas emissions. For a typical EV with a 75-kWh battery pack, the battery itself can emit over seven tons of CO2e emissions. Emissions per kilowatt-hour of battery capacity range from 56 to 494 kg CO2.
- High Energy and Material Costs: The production of EV batteries involves energy-intensive processes and requires materials like lithium, cobalt, nickel, and graphite, which are associated with significant emissions during mining and refining.
Emissions from ICE Vehicle Production
- ICE Production Emissions: While ICE vehicles also have embedded emissions from production (about 5-10 tons of CO2e depending on size and location), these emissions are generally lower than those from EV battery production alone.
- Lower Battery Footprint: ICE vehicles do not require large battery packs, which is the component contributing most to EV emissions during production.
Comparison
- Embedded Emissions: EVs have a higher production footprint than ICE vehicles, largely due to battery production. For EVs, battery-related emissions can be over seven tons of CO2e, while ICE vehicle production emissions (excluding batteries) are generally lower.
- Lifecycle Emissions: While EVs have higher production emissions, their overall lifecycle emissions can be lower than those of ICE vehicles if the electricity used for charging is generated from renewable sources.
In summary, while both types of vehicles have significant production emissions, the production of EV batteries results in higher emissions upfront compared to ICE vehicle production. However, EVs can offer lower overall lifecycle emissions depending on the energy mix used for charging.
Original article by NenPower, If reposted, please credit the source: https://nenpower.com/blog/how-do-the-emissions-from-ev-battery-production-compare-to-those-from-ice-vehicles/
