Carbon footprint of Electric Car
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1 km driving an electric car = 0.05 kg CO2e (?)
This equals approximately:
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0.0 servings of 10g protein Beef (beef herd)
(Proteins) 🍌 0.1 kilograms Bananas
(Fruits) ✈️ 0.1 kilometers flight
(Transport) 🚗 0.3 kilometers driving a petrol car
(Cars) 🚶 0.3 kilometers walking
(Transport) 🚌 0.4 kilometers traveling by bus
(Transport) 🚲 0.6 kilometers cycling
(Transport) 📺 1.3 hours streaming video
(Streaming) 🚂 1.3 kilometers traveling by train
(Transport) 🤖 12.5 queries using ChatGPT
(AI) 🔍 237.5 searches searching on Google
(Search Engine)
(Proteins) 🍌 0.1 kilograms Bananas
(Fruits) ✈️ 0.1 kilometers flight
(Transport) 🚗 0.3 kilometers driving a petrol car
(Cars) 🚶 0.3 kilometers walking
(Transport) 🚌 0.4 kilometers traveling by bus
(Transport) 🚲 0.6 kilometers cycling
(Transport) 📺 1.3 hours streaming video
(Streaming) 🚂 1.3 kilometers traveling by train
(Transport) 🤖 12.5 queries using ChatGPT
(AI) 🔍 237.5 searches searching on Google
(Search Engine)
Can I offset this?
While carbon offsetting is an option, it's generally better to choose more sustainable alternatives when available. Offsetting should be your last resort after reducing emissions.
Footprints
| Option | CO2 (kg) | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Average Electric Car | 0.05 | km |
Related Activities
| Option | CO2 (kg) | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Average Petrol Car (Petrol Car) | 0.16 | km |
Explanation
Electric car emissions per vehicle kilometer, including battery manufacturing impacts.
Sources
DEFRA (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero), 2024.
Based on UK vehicle fleet.
Note: Emissions are per vehicle km, not passenger km. Carpooling reduces per-person emissions.
For EVs: "How much CO2 is emitted by manufacturing batteries?", 2022.
Note: Battery manufacturing impacts considered but offset by lifetime savings.
All sources accessed: 7 February 2025