Can Electric vehicles still be considered environmentally friendly when the factories they are made in still produce emissions?
Can Electric vehicles still be considered environmentally friendly when the factories they are made in still produce emissions?
You can search for “EV cradle to grave emissions” to find analysis comparing the total lifetime emissions of EVs versus other vehicle types including the initial manufacturing emissions. This is typically lower for EVs even when the emissions from manufacturing and the power grid are included. This gets better over time with manufacturing efficiency and more renewable energy in the power grid.
Of course “Environmentally friendly” is a spectrum. Walking or riding a bike or taking an electric train to work are all going to have a lower lifetime emissions than buying a new EV.