50 shades of green - not all electric vehicles are as clean as each other

There is no doubt that electric vehicles are better for the planet – and for human health – than their fossil fuelled internal combustion engine cousins, even despite the recent “thought bubbles” from Mr Bean creator, Rowan Atkinson.

But a new ranking of the environmental impacts of a range of electric cars currently on the market is a helpful reminder that not all zero emissions vehicles are created as cleanly as they drive.

The Green Electric Car Guide, published by Total Environment Centre, scores and ranks the base models of all electric cars available for sale in Australia in 2023 under $100,000.

TEC energy and transport analyst Mark Byrne, who created the Green Electric Car Guide, says the EVs are scored according to their lifecycle carbon emissions, their use of sustainable technologies, and each car maker’s record in promoting or discouraging the decarbonisation of the transport sector.

“We’ve looked under the hood so buyers don’t have to,” says Byrne. "Our intention was to encourage a more nuanced debate around which BEVs [battery electric vehicles] are likely to have a higher or lower environmental impact."

And as you can see in the table below, some results are a bit surprising.

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For instance, while we might expect to see Tesla up the top of the rankings, as well as Volvo and Volvo subsidiary Polestar, it’s unexpected to see BMW down near the bottom of emissions rankings, particularly when its stablemate Mini Electric is in the middle. It’s also interesting to note the big difference between the Hyundai Ionic 5 and 6.

"The Mini scores higher than the Beemer because it’s lighter and has a smaller battery, leading to better energy efficiency," says Byrne. "The Ioniq 6 scores higher than the 5 because it is also more efficient thanks to the improved aerodynamics and lower weight."

No long-range versions were included in the guide because their bigger batteries and consequently lower energy efficiency make them an inferior choice on environmental grounds.

"We think it’s about time that we move beyond the tired BEV versus ICE [internal combustion engine] debate and apply some environmental scrutiny to the EV market," says Byrne.

"To give an extreme example, if you think you’re doing the planet a favour by buying a Hummer just because you’ve chosen the electric version, you’re deluding yourself."

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TEC executive director Jeff Angel says the plan is to update the Green Electric Car Guide every time a new EV hits the Australian market – provided the team can attract ongoing funding.

“The Guide was created by TEC with no industry or government money or sponsorship,” says Angel.

“By arming consumers with transparent and comprehensive information, this guide empowers individuals to make choices that align with a cleaner and greener future.”

Angel also notes that while TEC has  done its “level best” with the publicly available data, it is keen for anyone with credible new or different information to get in touch, to help keep the guide and the rankings up to date.

“And we welcome feedback from users telling us how the guide has helped them or how it could be improved,” Angel says.

Many of the most popular EVs are downgraded because the companies that make them are not seen as particularly supportive of EV policies.

As the guide itself notes:

“No car currently available in Australia comes close to a 100 point score. The EV market is not yet mature, and technological advances are coming thick and fast. We expect scores to gradually increase over time.

​”If you already have an EV and it has a low score, don’t despair. Your car is still very likely to have a substantially lower lifetime carbon footprint than the nearest equivalent fossil fuel car. Depending on how you drive and recharge it, your EV could be between one-third and two-thirds less polluting than the nearest fossil fuel equivalent.”

As electricity grids shift to mostly renewable energy generation, and with the speed of technological advances in this space, the EV advantage will grow over time.

“By buying any electric car, you are helping to decarbonise Australia’s transport sector, which is one-fifth of our total economy-wide emissions," says Byrne.

“You can roughly double the positive impact … by recharging it from solar instead of through the grid. And you can make even more of an impact by buying one that has been designed and built to be relatively sustainable."

“Or you can keep it simple and just go for the most energy efficient car that meets most of your needs. We also encourage buyers to keep it simple. Do I really need a big battery, all wheel drive, big wheels and a sunroof?”

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An earlier version of this article was first published on The Driven. You can read it here.