EV Carbon Footprint Calculator
The honest climate picture: battery manufacturing CO2, driving emissions on your grid, and how many km until an EV beats a petrol car.
Typical: 150-180 g/km. Car at 6.5 L/100km ≈ 150 g/km.
Manufacturing CO2
Driving CO2 / year
Carbon payback
Your total footprint
EV vs petrol over the years
Estimates based on lifecycle studies (IEA, IVL, Transport & Environment). Real values vary with battery production mix and grid changes over time.
Cut your EV footprint further
- Charge on solar or green tariffs. Cuts driving emissions to near zero.
- Keep the car longer. The manufacturing footprint is paid back over more km.
- Charge off-peak. Night electricity is often lower-carbon on grids with baseload renewables.
- Right-size the battery. A 60 kWh pack for a 20 km commute wastes manufacturing carbon.
How it's calculated
- Battery manufacturing ≈ 70-120 kg CO2e per kWh (EU mix), scaled by battery size.
- Vehicle manufacturing ≈ 5,500-7,500 kg for a mid-size EV.
- Driving = km/year × consumption × grid intensity.
- Petrol baseline = g CO2/km × km/year × years.
- Payback = extra manufacturing ÷ annual savings.
Frequently asked questions
Is an EV really better for the climate?
Yes. Even on a fossil-heavy grid, an EV emits roughly half the CO2 of a petrol car over its lifetime. On a clean grid or with solar, the advantage grows to 70-90%.
How much CO2 does it take to build an EV battery?
Producing a 60 kWh battery emits roughly 4,000-7,000 kg CO2e depending on the energy mix. This is the "carbon debt" an EV pays back within 1-3 years of driving compared to a petrol car.
What is the carbon payback time for an EV?
Typical payback is 15,000-45,000 km — about 1-3 years of average driving. Beyond that, every kilometer is cleaner than a combustion car for the rest of the vehicle's life.
Does electricity mix matter for EV emissions?
Yes, a lot. The grid's carbon intensity (g CO2/kWh) directly scales your driving emissions. A 0 g/kWh renewable grid makes driving nearly zero-emission; a coal-heavy grid reduces the EV advantage.