www.ucsusa.org
Open in
urlscan Pro
2606:4700:20::ac43:4562
Public Scan
URL:
https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/driving-cleaner
Submission: On December 14 via api from BG — Scanned from DE
Submission: On December 14 via api from BG — Scanned from DE
Form analysis 3 forms found in the DOM
GET /search
<form action="/search" method="GET">
<label for="site-search-header">
<span>Search</span>
<input id="site-search-header" name="search_api_fulltext" type="text" placeholder="What are you looking for?">
</label>
<button type="submit" id="search-submit">
<svg class="ucs-icon" viewBox="0 0 50 50">
<use class="ucs-icon-use" href="#ucs-magnifying" x="0" y="0"></use>
</svg>
</button>
</form>POST v1
<form class="clearfix" method="post" novalidate="" action="v1" accept-charset="utf-8" autocomplete="on">
<div class="ucs-form"><label for="EmailAddress"><input type="email" autocomplete="email" x-autocompletetype="email"
pattern="^([\w!#$%&'*+\-\/=?\^`{|}~]+\.)*[\w!#$%&'*+\-\/=?\^`{|}~]+@((((([a-zA-Z0-9]{1}[a-zA-Z0-9\-]{0,62}[a-zA-Z0-9]{1})|[a-zA-Z])\.)+[a-zA-Z]{2,62})|(\d{1,3}\.){3}\d{1,3}(:\d{1,5})?)$" required="" title="Email (required)"
name="EmailAddress" value="" maxlength="100" placeholder="" id="EmailAddress"><span>Email </span></label><input type="submit" value="Submit" class="at-submit btn-at btn-at-primary"></div>
<div data-name="undefined" data-subview="submit_view" data-subview-index="0"></div>
<fieldset class="at-fieldset ContactInformation" id="NVSignupForm25799-ContactInformation" style="display: block;">
<legend class="at-legend">Contact Information</legend>
<div class="at-fields">
<div class="at-row at-row-solo EmailAddress"><label class="at-text EmailAddress" id="NVSignupForm25799-ContactInformation-EmailAddress">Email </label></div>
<div class="at-row at-row-solo YesSignMeUpForUpdatesForBinder"><input id="YesSignMeUpForUpdatesForBinder_Value" type="hidden" name="YesSignMeUpForUpdatesForBinder.Value" value="true"></div>
<div class="at-row "><label class="at-text PersonalUrl" id="NVSignupForm25799-ContactInformation-PersonalUrl"> <small>(Optional)</small><input type="text" autocomplete="on" false="" title="" name="PersonalUrl" value="" maxlength="">
</label></div>
<div class="at-row ">
<div class="at-markup TrackingPixel" id="NVSignupForm25799-ContactInformation-TrackingPixel" style="display: none;"><img alt=""
src="https://actions.everyaction.com/v1/Track/riz_81HSRkGMC2loQcyxiQ2?formSessionId=6b696f33-a0fd-46b5-8fa3-6bacf50fc580&bName=chrome&dType=desktop&fUrl=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudWNzdXNhLm9yZy9yZXNvdXJjZXMvZHJpdmluZy1jbGVhbmVy&fRef="
style="display:none"></div>
</div>
</div>
</fieldset>
<div class="at-form-submit clearfix">
</div>
</form>GET https://secure.ucsusa.org/a/12-2022-eoy-web
<form action="https://secure.ucsusa.org/a/12-2022-eoy-web" target="_top" method="GET" class="ngp-form at" id="NVTag2">
<input type="hidden" name="MS" id="MS" value="HPfloat">
<div class="ucs-form">
<div class="form-row">
<label for="fn"><input class="text" name="fn" id="fn" size="25" type="text"><span>
<span>First Name</span>
</span></label>
<label for="ln" class="at-text LastName"><input class="text" name="ln" id="ln" size="25" type="text"><span>
<span>Last Name</span>
</span></label>
</div>
<label for="am" class="at-text"><input class="text" name="am" id="am" size="25" pattern="[0-9,\.]+" type="text"><span>
<span>Amount</span>
</span></label>
<div class="form-row"></div>
<input type="submit" class="at-submit btn-at btn-at-primary btn-donate-sm" value="Renew my support">
</div>
<div class="at-form" style="display: block;">
<div class="ngp-spinner" style="width: 100%; height: 200px; position: relative;">
<div class="spinner" role="progressbar" style="position: absolute; width: 0px; z-index: 2000000000; left: 50%; top: 50%;">
<div style="position: absolute; top: -3px; transform: translate3d(0px, 0px, 0px); opacity: 0.25; animation: 1s linear 0s infinite normal none running opacity-50-25-0-8;">
<div style="position: absolute; width: 7px; height: 7px; background: rgb(13, 152, 230); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 0px 0px 1px; transform-origin: left center; transform: rotate(0deg) translate(9px, 0px); border-radius: 3px;"></div>
</div>
<div style="position: absolute; top: -3px; transform: translate3d(0px, 0px, 0px); opacity: 0.25; animation: 1s linear 0s infinite normal none running opacity-50-25-1-8;">
<div style="position: absolute; width: 7px; height: 7px; background: rgb(13, 152, 230); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 0px 0px 1px; transform-origin: left center; transform: rotate(45deg) translate(9px, 0px); border-radius: 3px;"></div>
</div>
<div style="position: absolute; top: -3px; transform: translate3d(0px, 0px, 0px); opacity: 0.25; animation: 1s linear 0s infinite normal none running opacity-50-25-2-8;">
<div style="position: absolute; width: 7px; height: 7px; background: rgb(13, 152, 230); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 0px 0px 1px; transform-origin: left center; transform: rotate(90deg) translate(9px, 0px); border-radius: 3px;"></div>
</div>
<div style="position: absolute; top: -3px; transform: translate3d(0px, 0px, 0px); opacity: 0.25; animation: 1s linear 0s infinite normal none running opacity-50-25-3-8;">
<div style="position: absolute; width: 7px; height: 7px; background: rgb(13, 152, 230); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 0px 0px 1px; transform-origin: left center; transform: rotate(135deg) translate(9px, 0px); border-radius: 3px;"></div>
</div>
<div style="position: absolute; top: -3px; transform: translate3d(0px, 0px, 0px); opacity: 0.25; animation: 1s linear 0s infinite normal none running opacity-50-25-4-8;">
<div style="position: absolute; width: 7px; height: 7px; background: rgb(13, 152, 230); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 0px 0px 1px; transform-origin: left center; transform: rotate(180deg) translate(9px, 0px); border-radius: 3px;"></div>
</div>
<div style="position: absolute; top: -3px; transform: translate3d(0px, 0px, 0px); opacity: 0.25; animation: 1s linear 0s infinite normal none running opacity-50-25-5-8;">
<div style="position: absolute; width: 7px; height: 7px; background: rgb(13, 152, 230); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 0px 0px 1px; transform-origin: left center; transform: rotate(225deg) translate(9px, 0px); border-radius: 3px;"></div>
</div>
<div style="position: absolute; top: -3px; transform: translate3d(0px, 0px, 0px); opacity: 0.25; animation: 1s linear 0s infinite normal none running opacity-50-25-6-8;">
<div style="position: absolute; width: 7px; height: 7px; background: rgb(13, 152, 230); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 0px 0px 1px; transform-origin: left center; transform: rotate(270deg) translate(9px, 0px); border-radius: 3px;"></div>
</div>
<div style="position: absolute; top: -3px; transform: translate3d(0px, 0px, 0px); opacity: 0.25; animation: 1s linear 0s infinite normal none running opacity-50-25-7-8;">
<div style="position: absolute; width: 7px; height: 7px; background: rgb(13, 152, 230); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 0px 0px 1px; transform-origin: left center; transform: rotate(315deg) translate(9px, 0px); border-radius: 3px;"></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</form>Text Content
Skip to main content × Search UTILITY MENU * About toggle * History * Accomplishments * Funding & Financials * Mission & Values * Ways to Give * Regional Work * Programs * People * Racial Equity * Jobs * Media Center * Take Action toggle * Climate Accountability * Climate Impacts * Power Ahead * Transforming Transportation * Preventing Nuclear War * Healthy Food and Farms * A Healthier Democracy * Science Forward * Science for Environmental Justice * Science Network toggle * Be a Science Advocate * Build Skills * Connect * Reports & Multimedia en español Donate Donate + Donate now Renew Become a member Give monthly Gift memberships Gifts in honor & memory More ways to give 88% of funds go directly to programs Climate Feature THE CLIMATE ACTION BUTTON Clicking the button won't solve the climate crisis. But it'll help. CLIMATE CHANGE Climate change is one of the most devastating problems humanity has ever faced—and the clock is running out. Learn more about Climate * Impacts * Science * Disinformation * Solutions TELL CONGRESS: ADDRESS THE CLIMATE CRISIS AND OPPOSE DEAL WITH BIG OIL. Send Letter Energy Video THE POWER GRID IS A TOP CLIMATE SOLUTION. BUT WHAT IS IT? The power grid makes modern life possible—but it’s also holding us back. ENERGY The energy choices we make today could make or break our ability to fight climate change. Learn more about Energy * Renewable Energy * Nuclear Power * Fossil Fuels * Solutions DEMAND CONGRESS INVEST IN A CLEAN ENERGY FUTURE. Send Letter Transportation Report DRIVING CLEANER On average, battery-electric vehicles produce roughly half the global warming emissions of comparable gasoline-powered vehicles TRANSPORTATION Our transportation system is outdated and broken—and it needs to change. Learn more about Transportation * Technologies * Oil * Solutions TELL CONGRESS WE NEED ELECTRIC VEHICLE INFRASTRUCTURE IN EVERY COMMUNITY. Send Letter Food Explainer THE TRUTH ABOUT TYSON For too long, Tyson Foods has gotten away with putting farmers out of business, exploiting workers, poisoning our water and land, and gouging consumers. FOOD AND FARMS The US food system should be providing healthy, sustainable food for everyone. Why isn’t it? Learn more about Food * Sustainable Agriculture * Healthy Food * Food Justice * Solutions DEMAND A FAIR FOOD SYSTEM FOR CONSUMERS AND FARMERS. Send Letter Nuclear Weapons Blog series THE WAR ON UKRAINE UCS experts are closely tracking Putin's ongoing invasion of Ukraine. NUCLEAR WEAPONS They’re the most dangerous invention the world has ever seen. Can we prevent them from being used again? Learn more about Nuclear Weapons * Justice * Worldwide * Missile Defense * Solutions TELL CONGRESS THAT NUCLEAR WEAPONS ARE NOT THE ANSWER. Send Letter Science & Democracy Activist Resource WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT DISINFORMATION Know how to identify it, counter it, and stop it in its tracks. SCIENCE AND DEMOCRACY Democracy and science can be powerful partners for the public good—and both are under attack. Learn more about Science & Democracy * Independent Science * Evidence-Based Decisions * A Healthier Democracy URGE CONGRESS TO PRIORITIZE SCIENCE-BASED ELECTION REFORMS. Send letter Take Action Donate Donate + Donate now Renew Become a member Give monthly Gift memberships Gifts in honor & memory More ways to give 88% of funds go directly to programs Menu Close× MAIN MENU * Climate toggle * Impacts * Science * Disinformation * Solutions * Energy toggle * Renewable Energy * Nuclear Power * Fossil Fuels * Solutions * Transportation toggle * Technologies * Oil * Solutions * Food toggle * Sustainable Agriculture * Healthy Food * Food Justice * Solutions * Nuclear Weapons toggle * Justice * Worldwide * Missile Defense * Solutions * Science & Democracy toggle * Independent Science * Evidence-Based Decisions * A Healthier Democracy UTILITY MENU * About toggle * History * Accomplishments * Funding & Financials * Mission & Values * Ways to Give * Regional Work * Programs * People * Racial Equity * Jobs * Media Center * en español * Search * Take Action toggle * Climate Accountability * Climate Impacts * Power Ahead * Transforming Transportation * Preventing Nuclear War * Healthy Food and Farms * A Healthier Democracy * Science Forward * Science for Environmental Justice * en español * Search * Science Network toggle * Be a Science Advocate * Build Skills * Connect * en español * Search * Reports & Multimedia * en español * Search Reports & Multimedia / Report DRIVING CLEANER How Electric Cars and Pick-Ups Beat Gasoline on Lifetime Global Warming Emissions David Reichmuth, Jessica Dunn, Don Anair Published Jul 25, 2022 Downloads Read online Passenger cars and trucks are one of the largest sources of global warming emissions in the United States. Electric vehicles (EVs) have the potential to dramatically reduce these emissions, especially when charged by low-carbon renewable electricity. New UCS analysis finds that over its lifetime—from manufacturing to operation to disposal—the average new battery electric vehicle produces roughly half the global warming pollution than a comparable gasoline or diesel vehicle. Based on the most recently available data on power plant emissions and EV sales, driving the average EV in the United States produces global warming emissions equal to a gasoline vehicle that gets 91 miles per gallon. To speed climate benefits and to encourage more drivers to choose electric vehicles, the report recommends policy changes and investments to bring even more renewable energy onto the grid, develop robust battery recycling programs to help reduce manufacturing impacts, and make EVs more accessible and affordable. Read online Back to the report overview DRIVING CLEANER This is a condensed, online version of the report. For all figures, references, and the full text, please download the full report PDF. To reduce both climate-changing emissions and exposure to air pollution, the United States must greatly reduce tailpipe emissions from cars and trucks. This makes the transition to electric vehicles (EVs) vital to meeting targets for both climate and public health. Using fully electric vehicles in place of conventional gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles enables the complete elimination of tailpipe emissions. While electric vehicles can eliminate tailpipe emissions, the total emissions from their use include emissions from two other sources: the electricity used to recharge EVs and the processes and materials used to manufacture them. Thus, the value of switching from gasoline and diesel cars and trucks to EVs will increase further as the electricity grid and manufacturing become cleaner. GLOBAL WARMING EMISSIONS FROM DRIVING ELECTRIC VEHICLES To assess the total global warming emissions from charging electric vehicles, the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) addresses all contributions from electricity production. These include: * Emissions that result from raw-material extraction, such as coal mining and natural gas drilling; * Emissions from delivering these fuels to power plants; * Emissions from burning those fuels in power plants to generate electricity; * Electricity losses that occur during distribution from power plants to the point where the electric vehicle is plugged in; and * The efficiency of the vehicle in recharging and using electricity. Similarly, our assessment of the global warming emissions from comparable gasoline and diesel vehicles addresses emissions that result from: * Oil extraction at the well; * Transporting crude oil to refineries; * Refining oil into gasoline; * Delivering fuel to gas stations; and * Combusting fuel in the vehicle’s engine. Because of differences in electricity generation across the United States, the emissions produced from driving the average EV vary depending on where the vehicle is driven (Figure ES-1). Considering the location of EV sales to date, the UCS assessment finds that: * Everywhere in the United States, driving the average EV results in lower emissions than the average new gasoline vehicle. * Over 90 percent of people in the United States live in regions where driving the average EV produces lower emissions than the most efficient gasoline vehicle on the market today (59 miles per gallon). * Driving the average EV in the United States produces global warming emissions equivalent to those emitted by a gasoline car getting 91 miles per gallon. * Driving the most efficient EV produces lower emissions than the most efficient gasoline car where 97 percent of the population lives—in other words, virtually everywhere in the United States. * Everywhere in the United States, the emissions from driving an EV pickup truck are lower than those for the average new gasoline or diesel pickup truck. While driving the average EV yields significant emissions savings, the more efficient the EV, the greater the benefits of switching from gasoline to electricity. For example, the emissions from driving a 2021 Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus in California equal those of a gasoline car getting 152 miles per gallon. The Tesla’s global warming emissions are a fifth of those of the average new gasoline car and over 60 percent less than even the most efficient gasoline car on the market. Life cycle global warming emissions are significantly lower for EVs than for gasoline cars or trucks when considering manufacturing and usage, despite higher battery-manufacturing emissions for the EV. Note: Emissions are measured in grams of carbon dioxide–equivalent per mile, averaged over the life of the vehicle. UCS GLOBAL WARMING EMISSIONS FROM MANUFACTURING ELECTRIC VEHICLES Manufacturing an EV results in more global warming emissions than manufacturing a comparable gasoline vehicle. This is chiefly due to the energy and materials required to produce an EV’s battery. However, most of the global warming emissions over the lifespan of a vehicle occur during its use, so the reductions from driving an EV more than offset the higher manufacturing emissions. When comparing the average gasoline sedan (32 mpg) to the average-efficiency EV with a 300-mile-range battery, the EV reduces total lifetime emissions 52 percent. An EV pickup truck reduces lifetime emissions 57 percent compared with the average gasoline pickup (Figure ES-2). Another way to understand how emissions savings from driving an EV offset additional manufacturing emissions is to consider the breakeven point: how far (or how long) an EV needs to drive for the savings to match the initial emissions “debt.” This breakeven point varies depending on regional electricity emissions. Based on where the US population lives, the mean breakeven point for an electric car with a 300-mile range compared with the average new gasoline sedan is 21,300 miles of driving, or 22 months based on average annual driving. Breakeven occurs more quickly, after about 17,500 miles (17 months), when comparing an electric truck (300-mile range) with the average new gasoline pickup truck. Both EV cars and trucks are much cleaner than their gasoline counterparts, but electric trucks are responsible for more global warming emissions than electric cars simply because trucks are larger and heavier. Choosing the most efficient EV that meets mobility needs will minimize overall pollution. If a sedan meets a driver’s needs, that would be a better choice for the environment than a full-size SUV or a pickup. The impacts of manufacturing EVs, including their batteries, extend beyond global warming emissions. Manufacturing processes and the sourcing of battery and other materials also affect water and air quality. Also, processes and sourcing can raise concerns over human rights and the ethical issues involved in mining and refining raw materials. This makes it essential to reduce the amount of raw materials needed to make EVs. In particular, reuse, remanufacturing, and recovery of materials from used batteries will help reduce these impacts. The average EV is considerably cleaner to drive than the average new gasoline vehicle—and in some areas, much cleaner. For example, in upstate New York (NYUP), the emissions of the average EV compare with those of a gasoline-powered vehicle achieving 247 miles per gallon. Based on where EVs have been sold in the United States, driving on electricity produces emissions equal to those of a gasoline car getting 91 miles per gallon. Note: Acronyms refer to electricity grid regions as defined by eGRID (EPA 2022a). UCS RECOMMENDATIONS To maximize emissions reductions and minimize negative manufacturing impacts, UCS recommends accelerating the transition to lower-emissions transportation through cleaner sources of electricity, improved vehicle manufacturing, and more efficient vehicles. * Policymakers at all levels of government should adopt and strengthen policies and programs for increasing energy efficiency and deploying renewable energy. Reducing the emissions from generating electricity can reduce the emissions from driving and manufacturing EVs. Policy options include establishing renewable electricity standards, energy-efficiency resource standards, and incentives or mandates to improve grid operation, transmission, and resource planning. * Governments and the private sector should invest more in research on both decreasing the global warming emissions associated with making EV batteries and improving the processes for recycling or reusing batteries. * Policies should promote material circularity, in which materials reenter the supply chain when their use in the original product ends. Circularity includes encouraging materials recovery when a battery reaches the end of its life and using recovered materials in manufacturing. Offsetting the use of virgin materials can decrease the environmental and social impacts associated with mining. * EV manufacturers should be responsible for sourcing materials ethically and sustainably throughout all steps in the supply chain. This means that their emissions and material sourcing must be transparent to the public and regulators. * Public policies should ensure that manufacturers produce energy-efficient EVs. Policies also should encourage vehicle buyers to purchase the most efficient EVs that meet their mobility needs. The more efficient an EV, the smaller battery it needs to achieve a desired range capability, thereby reducing emissions from both driving and manufacturing. * Policies, including funding, should support transportation options—including transit, shared mobility, and walking and biking infrastructure—that decrease the need for individual car ownership and limit the overall emissions from vehicle manufacturing and use. * Vehicle incentives and infrastructure deployment should enable drivers across incomes and geographies to access EVs. To maximize the benefits of EVs, all drivers should be able to switch from gasoline and diesel vehicles. Switching from conventional vehicles to electric vehicles reduces carbon emissions and smog-forming air pollution. To maximize these reductions, we must accelerate the adoption of EVs and transition to renewable electricity as quickly as possible. These dual transitions are a necessary part of putting the United States on a trajectory toward net-zero climate emissions by midcentury. This is a condensed, online version of the report. For all figures, references, and the full text, please download the full report PDF. IN THIS REPORT Figure LIFE CYCLE GLOBAL WARMING EMISSIONS: EVS VS. GASOLINE CARS AND TRUCKS Chart of life cycle global warming emissions comparing EVs, gasoline cars and trucks Figure MAP COMPARING MPGS OF EVS VS. REGULAR CAR Map of the United States comparing the miles per gallon equivalent of the average EV Feature EV EMISSIONS TOOL Plug in your ZIP code to see how clean electric cars are in your area. Video ELECTRIC VEHICLES ARE CLEANER Electric cars and pickups produce roughly half the climate-changing emissions of a similar gasoline car by the end of their lifetimes. DOWNLOADS Executive summary Full report CITATION Reichmuth, Dave, Jessica Dunn, and Don Anair. 2022. Driving Cleaner: Electric Cars and Pickups Beat Gasoline on Lifetime Global Warming Emissions. Cambridge, MA: Union of Concerned Scientists. https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/driving-cleaner SHARE Twitter Facebook LinkedIn FROM OUR BLOG December 13, 2022 RUSSIA POSTPONED TALKS ON A CRITICAL ARMS CONTROL TREATY. HERE’S WHY WE STILL NEED ARMS CONTROL. User ID: 151 job title December 12, 2022 JUST AND SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS FOR THE MINING AND RECYCLING OF RARE EARTH ELEMENTS IN WIND TURBINES User ID: 157 job title December 12, 2022 WHAT HAPPENS TO WIND TURBINE BLADES AT THE END OF THEIR LIFE CYCLE? User ID: 157 job title Read more RELATED RESOURCES Feature 2022 ANNUAL REPORT How did UCS perform over the last year? Report TRUCK POLLUTION IN THE UNITED STATES State-level fact sheets on tailpipe pollution from trucks and buses. Report EV SURVEY ON EQUITY The communities most harmed by the status quo are adopting EVs at disproportionately low rates. Activist Resource DIESEL POLLUTION MAPS Exhaust from diesel trucks and buses is a leading source of harmful air pollution, and its impacts are distributed unevenly across the map. See all Get email updates Sign up for emails from the Union of Concered Scientists Email Contact Information Email (Optional) Sign up for updates from UCS; unsubscribe at any time. Get text alerts Text "SCIENCE" to 67369 or sign up online. Sign up or text "SCIENCE" to 67369. Receive urgent alerts about opportunities to defend science. Recurring messages. Reply STOP to cancel. Msg & data rates may apply. Terms, Conditions, and Privacy Policy. SUPPORT OUR WORK $25 $50 $100 $250 $1000 Other Make it monthly Donate Visit the store Podcast_logo_final Listen to the podcast View the blog FOOTER * Privacy Policy * State Disclosures * FAQ * Media Center * Jobs * Contact © Union of Concerned Scientists We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. 2 Brattle Square, Cambridge MA 02138, USA (617) 547-5552 Close× PUT SCIENCE TO WORK IN 2023. DONATE NOW. Year-End Challenge: $1.5 Million by 11:59 on 12/31 This is a critical moment in the fight against climate change. Time is limited to protect our planet from further climate catastrophes. Commit to strengthening the fight for science today Renew your support First Name Last Name Amount We use cookies to improve your experience. By continuing, you accept our use of cookies. Learn more. I accept Close× SUPPORT OUR WORK $25 $50 $100 $250 $1000 Other Make it monthly Donate OTHER WAYS TO GIVE * Renew * Honor & memory * Become a member * Give monthly * Make a planned gift * Gift memberships More ways to give YOUR DONATION AT WORK 87% of funds go directly to programs