Electric vehicles are worse for the environment than gas cars because of battery production.

Question

Largely speaking, the claim that electric vehicles are worse for the environment in comparison to gas cars is untrue. While it is true that the production of EVs and their batteries contribute to more carbon emissions upfront compared to gas powered cars, there are multiple scientific studies that show that over a course of a car’s lifetime EVs emit substantially lower greenhouse gases.

This misconception is likely rooted in the manufacturing phase of cars, as battery production involves mining and refining resources leading to large environmental consequences. The MIT Climate Panel stats that, “building the 80 kWh lithium-ion battery … creates between 2.5 and 16 metric tons of CO₂ … This intensive battery manufacturing means that building a new EV can produce around 80% more emissions than building a comparable gas-powered car”. However, this is just one part of the larger view, because once on the road, EVs generate literally no tailpipe emissions. According to the International Council on Clean Transportation, “emissions over the lifetime of average medium-size BEVs [battery electric vehicles] registered today are already lower than comparable gasoline cars by 66%–69% in Europe, 60%–68% in the United States, 37%–45% in China, and 19%–34% in India”.

Furthermore, EVs have a break-even point wherein their operational emissions outweigh their manufacturing, as cited by Reuters, “drive another 13,500 miles (21,725 km) before you're doing less harm to the environment than a gas-guzzling saloon”.

Thus, the claim is unfounded and overall, an EV is better for the environment compared to a gas-powered car.

Answer 1

The world was so worried about exhaust fumes and pollution that when the electric car was invented, it seemed like it would save the earth. Instead, electric vehicles and their batteries have had some really bad effects on the Earth. Electric vehicles indeed reduce the carbon footprint of the person who owns in; however, creating the battery and dealing with the long-term effects of the batteries seem to be what is causing the most harm. I found the idea that the fires that are started by electric vehicles were especially toxic and burn so incredibly hot that firefighters have to wait for them to cool down entirely. The electric fires and the replacement of batteries and what we will do with the batteries when they are "dead" is something that we are going to have to face for the years and decades to come.

https://www.npr.org/2024/05/09/1250212212/ev-batteries-environmental-impact

https://www.usfa.fema.gov/blog/emergency-response-to-electric-vehicle-incidents/

https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-025-02447-2

Answer 2

No, electric vehicles are not worse for the environment than gas cars. First I googled “electric vehicles long run effect on environment vs gas cars” and the first site that appeared was EPA.gov. The title of the article listed under the website was “electric vehicle myths” and following that was “Myth #2  Electric vehicles are worse for the climate than gasoline cars because of battery manufacturing.” It then continues to explain that this is because electric cars emit fewer emissions when compared to gas cars on a green house gas lifecycle graph. 

Answer 3

The claim that electric vehicles are worse for the environment than gas cars because of battery production is false. According to The New York Times, while manufacturing electric vehicle (EV) batteries does create more emissions than building a gas-powered car, EVs quickly make up for that difference once they are driven, producing far fewer emissions over their lifetime (https://www.nytimes.com/guides/business/electric-car-faq). Similarly, the U.S. Department of Energy reports that EVs typically have lower greenhouse gas emissions overall, even when accounting for battery production and electricity generation (https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/articles/electric-vehicle-myths).

Research published by The Brookings Institution also finds that, although EV battery production requires energy and materials like lithium and cobalt, the total environmental impact remains smaller than that of gasoline vehicles once the cars are driven for several years (https://www.brookings.edu/articles/are-electric-vehicles-really-better-for-the-environment/). Overall, evidence shows that electric vehicles are more environmentally friendly than gas cars across their full lifespan, despite the initial impact of battery manufacturing.