What about emissions from electricity?
We’ll see the biggest benefits in reducing lifetime EV emissions by equipping high-carbon grids with more reliance on renewable energy sources. 20% of electricity in the US came from renewable energy sources in 2022, primarily hydropower, wind, and solar energy.
More importantly, grids are becoming cleaner every year. In the US, over 80% of new capacity added to the grid in 2021 came from renewable energy sources.
A 30% decrease in grid carbon intensity is enough to reduce EV emissions from battery production by 17%. More importantly, it significantly lowers grid emissions when more energy is used to charge EVs during the use phase.
Addressing misconceptions about charging infrastructure
Early adopters of EVs were motivated by environmental benefits, but the next wave of EV buyers is focused on practical factors like:
Longer ranges
Faster charging times
Lower costs
More extensive public charging networks
Concerns about charging access remain a barrier to adoption, but the reality is different from the perception.
80% of EV drivers charge at home, reducing the need for an extensive public charging network.
EV charging apps and smart grid solutions help drivers optimize when and where EVs charge, ensuring that the grid can handle electric cars andthat electricity rates remain low.
What to consider for increasing EV adoption
Regardless of what your choice is as a vehicle owner, EV adoption is a reality that’s rooted in both policy and growing interest from drivers. Governments, automakers, and energy providers need to consider both practical barriers that deter drivers from zero-emission vehicles and the need for further emission reductions from electricity generation. As EV adoption grows, several advances will further reduce carbon emissions:
Renewable energy
The ICCT reports that as the electricity mix continues to reduce carbon emissions in the coming years, we can expect EVs running on renewable energy to have up to 81% lower lifecycle emission production than ICEVs.
According to the California ISO, curtailing resources like solar energy is becoming common practice to manage the oversupply in the middle of the day when the sun is brightest. This results in much fewer opportunities for grids to reduce its carbon footprint.
The state found that enrolling 5 million EVs in managed charging programs in 2025 could reduce renewable energy curtailment by up to 40%. Smart charging apps and DERMS platforms use EV API platforms like Smartcar to actively control EV charging and optimize demand according to the availability of renewable energy sources.
Evolution of batteries
As electric vehicle demand and manufacturing investments grow, so will research and development initiatives to improve battery technology.
In the US, battery cell production is estimated to grow more than tenfold, from less than 60 GWh in 2021 to more than 700 GWh by 2030. Emerging Tech Brew reported that automakers and businesses are innovating to optimize production affordability and battery efficiency. Smaller and lighter batteries are one way to make this happen.
For example, research published in 2022 found that solid-state batteries have a higher energy density and hence need an average of 24% fewer materials to manufacture. These energy-dense batteries can decrease production-phase emissions by 24% to 39%.
The used EV market
Buying a used electric vehicle not only opens the door for more affordable ownership, but it also directly reduces emissions from manufacturing new EVs to keep up with growing demand.
Recurrent is a battery report software that helps electric car buyers and dealerships understand an EVs true range as the battery ages and informs decisions when purchasing used EVs. According to their research, the used EV market in the US has tripled in size in the last year and a half. The prices of used EVs have also dropped 17% from their peak in July 2022.
Are you building an app to help drivers understand and reduce their EV emissions?
As battery production advances, grid electricity becomes cleaner, and smarter charging applications emerge to fill infrastructure gaps, the debate of gas vs electric cars will be a lot easier to handle.
EV APIs empower businesses with a consent-based way to scale vehicle data collection and build solutions that actually make a difference for EV drivers.