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Yes, that's true: production, above all the battery, causes more CO₂ than for a combustion-engine car. That's no secret and we don't sugar-coat it. The real question that hardly anyone asks: how long does it actually stay that way?
The usual objections to electric cars are stubborn. A reality check.
“EVs are unaffordable.”
The purchase price is often higher, that's true. But if you include energy, maintenance and taxes over the whole holding period, the total cost for many models is already lower today than for a comparable combustion-engine car. One example: the VW ID.3 against the VW Golf.
And does it really have to be a new car? A used electric car is usually considerably cheaper still. The fear of a dead battery is often unfounded: you don't throw it away after a few thousand kilometres. Most batteries last many years and many kilometres without you noticing any perceptible loss of performance.
“The electricity comes from a coal power plant anyway.”
Not in Switzerland. Well over 90% of our electricity mix comes from hydro and nuclear power (~90 g CO₂/kWh) rather than coal. Even with the much dirtier EU mix (~300 g/kWh), the EV stays ahead over its lifetime. Don't believe us? Set the assumptions at the top right to “EU mix” and watch what happens to the calculation above.
“The range will never be enough for everyday life.”
The average daily distance per person in Switzerland is around 30 km (source: Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), Mobility and Transport Microcensus). Modern electric cars easily manage 300 to 500 km per charge, many even more. For 95% of all trips, that is plenty. Only for exceptions like the big holiday drive do you really need to plan.
“The battery is scrap after a few years.”
Most manufacturers give a battery warranty of around 8 years or 160,000 km. Afterwards it is rarely “scrap”: recycling rates keep rising and retired batteries often get a second life as stationary energy storage before the raw materials are recovered.
CO₂ and CHF aren't everything. A few effects you only notice once you've made the switch.
Electric cars emit no nitrogen oxides or particulate matter locally from the exhaust. That is a direct benefit for air quality in cities.
Electric motors are much quieter at low speed, which is especially noticeable in city traffic and at night.
If you charge at night or with solar power, you further reduce your CO₂ footprint and costs and relieve the grid during the day.
