What is the CO₂ per mile for electric cars charged from the mains?

Asked by: John Whitbread, Staffordshire

There are many variables to consider. Roughly speaking, in the UK, an electric car charged from the mains currently emits roughly 80g of CO₂ per mile, compared to 216g CO₂ per mile for the average petrol car.

An electric car’s emissions depend on what proportion of its electricity is derived from burning fossil fuels, and therefore varies from country to country, and according to the time of day. As we generate more energy from renewable sources, the carbon emissions of electric cars will drop further.

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