E-cars: More environmentally friendly and cheaper – the new mobility!

E-cars: More environmentally friendly and cheaper – the new mobility!

The Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (ISI) in Karlsruhe has published a comprehensive overview of electric cars (e-cars) based on the analysis of over 70 scientific sources. The study shows that when viewed holistically - from production to disposal - electric vehicles are more environmentally friendly and often more cost-effective than comparable vehicles with combustion engines. When it comes to greenhouse gas emissions, electric cars in Germany perform 40-50% better than classic combustion engines t-online.de reported.

Despite higher emissions during production, the advantages during operation can compensate for the ecological disadvantages. Especially if there is an existing charging option, for example at home or at work, electric cars can become more economical than combustion engines after three years. It is noticeable that the kilometer costs are similar for average mileage in the middle class, which underlines the competitiveness of electric cars.

Disadvantages and advantages of electric cars

However, the use of electric vehicles also brings challenges. For example, fine dust emissions from tire wear are a disadvantage due to the higher weight of electric cars. While electric cars are more environmentally friendly than their gasoline or diesel-powered counterparts, there are even more environmentally friendly ways to get around. Research at the Fraunhofer Institute also deals with the usefulness and environmental friendliness of battery production, which has been centrally addressed in the analyzes to date. Michael Held, who heads the Energy and Mobility working group, emphasizes the importance of sustainability and resource conservation in this context.

As one of the largest automobile markets in the world, Germany is dependent on a switch from classic combustion engines to electric vehicles. In 2012, only 4,541 electric cars were registered, while there were more than 30 million gasoline and diesel cars. The majority of vehicles with internal combustion engines cause a lot of deposits in the environment and noise, which highlights the need for research into alternatives fraunhofer.de.

The role of renewable energy

The use of renewable energies when charging is crucial for a positive climate balance for electric vehicles. The global motor vehicle population, already numbering around one billion vehicles, is expected to double by 2030, increasing pressure for environmentally friendly mobility. The federal government actively supports electromobility in order to reduce dependence on fossil fuels in the medium term. In order to increase the acceptance of electric cars both in private use and in local public transport, stronger networking between electric and conventional mobility will be necessary.

Overall, research at the Fraunhofer Institute shows that electric cars can represent a real alternative to conventional vehicles under certain conditions if they can compare to conventional engines both ecologically and economically.