Policy Article

Electric Mobility and Climate Protection: A Substantial Miscalculation

Authors

  • Schmidt
  • U.
Publication Date

Recent studies have shown that electric cars have lower greenhouse gas emissions than conventional internal combustion engine automobiles already with the current German electricity mix. The author reveals that these studies however neglect the increased electricity demand resulting from electric cars. Taking into account this higher demand implies that electric cars have 73% more greenhouse gas emissions than modern Diesel vehicles. He argues that it is simply more climate-friendly to use renewable energies for reducing electricity generation with coal than for running electric cars.

Kiel Institute Expert

Info

Key Words

  • climate change
  • coal
  • electric cars
  • greenhouse gas emissions
  • Klimawandel