Environment

Are electric cars ‘green’? The answer is yes, but it’s complicated

Published

4 years ago

July 26, 2021

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An electric vehicle charging point in Stoke-on-Trent, England.

Nathan Stirk | Getty Images News | Getty Images

The number of electric vehicles on the world’s roads is surging, hitting a record number last year.

That would seem to be good news, as the world tries to wean itself off fossil fuels that are wrecking the global climate. But as electric cars become more popular, some question just how environmentally friendly they are.

The batteries in electric vehicles, for example, charge on power that is coming straight off the electric grid — which is itself often powered by fossil fuels. And there are questions about how energy-intensive it is to build an EV or an EV battery, versus building a comparable traditional vehicle.

Are electric vehicles greener?

The short answer is yes — but their full green potential is still many years away.

Experts broadly agree that electric vehicles create a lower carbon footprint over the course of their lifetime than do cars and trucks that use traditional, internal combustion engines.

Last year, researchers from the universities of Cambridge, Exeter and Nijmegen in The Netherlands found that in 95% of the world, driving an electric car is better for the environment than driving a gasoline-powered car.

Electricity grids in most of the world are still powered by fossil fuels such as coal or oil, and EVs depend on that energy to get charged. Separately, EV battery production remains an energy-intensive process.

Producing electric vehicles leads to significantly more emissions than producing petrol cars … which is mostly from the battery production.

Florian Knobloch

Cambridge Centre for Environment, Energy and Natural Resource Governance

A study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Energy Initiative found that the battery and fuel production for an EV generates higher emissions than the manufacturing of an automobile. But those higher environmental costs are offset by EVs’ superior energy efficiency over time.

In short, the total emissions per mile for battery-powered cars are lower than comparable cars with internal combustion engines.

“If we are going to take a look at the current situation, in some countries, electric vehicles are better even with the current grid,” Sergey Paltsev, a senior research scientist at the MIT Energy Initiative and one of the study’s authors, told CNBC.

Paltsev explained that the full benefits of EVs will be realized only after the electricity sources become renewable, and it might take several decades for that to happen.

Batteries are the biggest emitter

EVs rely on rechargeable lithium-ion batteries to run. The process of making those batteries — from using mining raw materials like cobalt and lithium, to production in gigafactories and transportation — is energy-intensive, and one of the biggest sources of carbon emissions from EVs today, experts said.

Gigafactories are facilities that produce EV batteries on a large scale.

“Producing electric vehicles leads to significantly more emissions than producing petrol cars. Depending on the country of production, that’s between 30% to 40% extra in production emissions, which is mostly from the battery production,” said Florian Knobloch, a fellow at the Cambridge Centre for Environment, Energy and Natural Resource Governance.

Those higher production emission numbers are seen as “an initial investment, which pays off rather quickly due to the reduced lifetime emissions.”

China currently dominates battery production, with 93 gigafactories producing lithium-ion battery cells versus only four in the U.S., the Washington Post reported this year.

“I think the battery is the most complicated component in the EV, and has the most complex supply chain,” George Crabtree, director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Joint Center for Energy Storage Research, told CNBC, adding that the energy source used in battery production makes a huge difference on the carbon footprint for EVs.

Batteries made in older gigafactories in China are usually powered by fossil fuels, because that was the trend five to 10 years ago, he explained. So, EVs that are built with batteries from existing factories

But that’s changing, he said, as “people have realized that’s a huge carbon footprint.”

Experts pointed to other considerations around battery production.

They include unethical and environmentally unsustainable mining practices, as well as a complex geopolitical nature of the supply chain, where countries do not want to rely on other nations for raw materials like cobalt and lithium, or the finished batteries.

Mining raw materials needed for battery production will likely be the last to get decarbonized, according to Crabtree.

Recycling and decarbonizing the grid

Today, very few of the spent battery cells are recycled.

Experts said that can change over time as raw materials needed for battery production are in limited supply, leaving firms with no choice but to recycle.

McKinsey’s Hannon outlined other reasons for companies to step by their recycling efforts. They include a regulatory environment where producers, by law, would have to deal with spent batteries — and disposing them could be more expensive.

“People who point to a lack of a recycling infrastructure as a problem aren’t recognizing that we don’t need extensive recycling infrastructure yet because the cars are so new, we’re not needing many back,” he said.

Most auto companies are already working to ensure they have significant recycling capacity in place before EVs start reaching the end of life over the next decade, he added.

It’s not silver bullet for climate change mitigation. Ideally, you also try to reduce the number of cars massively, and try to push things such as public transport

Florian Knobloch

Cambridge Centre for Environment, Energy and Natural Resource Governance

Knobloch from Cambridge University said a lot of research is going into improving battery technology, to make them more environmentally sustainable and less reliant on scarce raw materials. More efforts are also needed in decarbonizing the electricity grid, he added.

“It’s very important that more renewable electricity generation capacity is added to the grid each year, than coal generation capacity,” Knobloch said.

“Nowadays, it’s much easier to build large scale solar or offshore wind compared to building new fossil fuel power plant. What we see is more renewable electricity coming into the grid all over the world.”

Still, he pointed out that generating electricity by using renewable sources will still emit greenhouse gases as there are emissions from producing the solar panels and wind turbines. “What we look at is how long will it take until the electricity grid is sufficiently decarbonized so that you see large benefit from electric vehicles,” Knobloch added.

Policies needed for societal change

Experts agree that a transition from gasoline-powered cars to EVs is not a panacea for the global fight against climate change.

It needs to go hand-in-hand with societal change that promotes greater use of public transportation and alternative modes of travel, including bicycles and walking.

Reducing the use of private vehicles requires plenty of funding and policy planning.

MIT’s Paltsev, who is also deputy director at the university’s joint program on the science and policy of global change, explained that there are currently about 1.2 billion fuel-powered cars on the road globally –that number is expected to increase to between 1.8 billion to 2 billion.

In comparison, there are only about 10 million electric vehicles currently.

People underestimate how many new cars have to be produced and how much materials will be needed to produce those electric vehicles, Paltsev said.

The International Energy Agency predicts that the number of electric cars, buses, vans and heavy trucks on roads is expected to hit 145 million by 2030.

Even if everyone drove EVs instead of gasoline-powered cars, there would still be plenty of emissions from the plug-in vehicles due to their sheer volume, according to Knobloch.

“So, it’s not silver bullet for climate change mitigation. Ideally, you also try to reduce the number of cars massively, and try to push things such as public transport,” he said. “Getting people away from individual car transport is as important.”

Environment

Mercedes is offering a massive, $50,000 discount on THIS luxury SUV

Published

3 hours ago

November 8, 2025

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Mercedes is offering a massive, ,000 discount on THIS luxury SUV

2025 Mercedes-Maybach EQS 680 Rebate Deal

While the typical buyers of the flagship Mercedes-Maybach EQS 680 may not have to ask what one costs, they do need to know what number to write on the check – and if they happen to be asking this month, that number will be $50,000 LOWER than before.

CarsDirect is reporting a MASSIVE $50,000 lease or purchase cash incentive on the $181,050 top-of-the-line Mercedes-Maybach EQS 680, which amounts to a JC Penney-like 27% discount from the luxo liner’s original asking price and the biggest factory discount deal on any new Mercedes-Benz model so far.

Mercedes-Benz nearly doubled the savings on the 2025 Mercedes-Maybach EQS 680 this month, making it the SUV with the largest rebate offer. The high-end luxury SUV is available with $50,000 in lease cash or purchase cash. Previously, the automaker offered $30,000, making this the best deal to date on the $181,050 vehicle.

CARSDIRECT

For that money, Mercedes-Maybach EQS buyers get Rolls-Royce rivaling material appointments and infotainment features that wouldn’t look out of place in a futuristic sci-fi movie, as well as reclining and massaging rear seats with quilted leather upholstery, lumbar support pillows, and a whole lot more, too.

It’s nice in there

The Maybach EQS 680 is all about opulence, of course – and the list of available features reads exactly the way you’d expect it to on a ride like this. For example: there’s a 12.3″-inch” digital instrument cluster, 17.7″ OLED touchscreen central multimedia display, another 12.3″ OLED display for the front passenger, something called MBUX Hyperscreen, ventilated/rapid-heating front seats so your chauffeur doesn’t get too sweaty, the previously-mentioned massaging seats, “soft close” doors, power side-window sunshades for added privacy, illuminated running boards, and a 64-color choice of interior mood lighting.

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Power and torque rarely matter on a ride that you’re more likely to be relaxing in rather than driving, but the big Mercedes doesn’t disappoint in that department, either, thanks to a fully variable 4MATIC AWD system with Torque Shift power vectoring that can send the big SUV’s 649 hp away from the wheels that slip to the wheels that grip, and also work to accelerate inside wheels at a different rate than outside wheels to neutralize handling at the limits.

You know, in case you ~~need to escape the hungry mobs with pitchforks~~ forgot to pick up little Suzie from soccer and need to get there now, Now, NOW!

The big EQS features a 107-ish kWh battery pack good for an EPA-estimated 200 miles of range, with 10-80% charge available in about 30 minutes on a 200 kW DC fast charger. And, trust me, that’s the kind of convenience your personal driver will love.

You can find out more about Mercedes’ killer EV deals on the full range of EQ models, from this top-shelf Maybach on “down” to the also super-discounted compact EQB crossover, below, then let us know what you think of the three-pointed star’s latest discount dash in the comments section at the bottom of the page.

SOURCE: CarsDirect; images via Mercedes-Benz.

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Environment

E-quipment highlight: the highest-rated lawnmowers on Amazon are ELECTRIC

Published

4 hours ago

November 8, 2025

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E-quipment highlight: the highest-rated lawnmowers on Amazon are ELECTRIC

5 OF THE HIGHEST-RATED LAWN MOWERS YOU CAN BUY FROM AMAZON

Despite decades of market dominance, it seems like the days of loud, finicky gas-powered lawnmowers may finally be behind us — and I say that because five of the highest-rated mowers on Amazon won’t burn a drop of gas.

While the federal push for EVs may have stalled under the current Trump Administration, state and local governments continue to tightening restrictions on noise and small-engine emissions — and that means your next lawn mower is more likely to plug in than fill up, whether you like it or not. The good news, however, is that in addition to being quieter, safer, and not poisoning the air you breathe while you walk behind them, electric mowers have come a long way in terms of power and performance in just a few years. So much so, in fact, that many of the highest-rated models on Amazon, period, are electric.

Consumer site SlashGear recently compared the average star ratings of a number of lawn mowers on Amazon, focusing on products that had at least 2,000 reviews and a four-star average or higher, and found that battery-electric units from EGO, Greenworks, and Worx were among the top-rated mowers, regardless of fuel type:

The products on this list have the highest ratings for lawn mowers on Amazon. Not only do they have high ratings, but they also have an extensive number of reviews from customers. There are lawn mowers not included on this list with higher customer ratings, but they don’t have the same quantity of reviews.

SLASHGEAR

There’s one manual push mower (sometimes called a reel mower) on that top five list, but virtually no mention of the fact that there are precisely zero gas-powered mowers on the list – despite there being more than 600 pages of results when I searched “gas mower” earlier today. And it’s that fact that seems like the Real News™ item here, not the affiliate links.

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So, in that spirit, here’s a brief rundown of each of the top-performing mower brands that’s both free of ad links and in alphabetical order. Enjoy!

EGO

Over the past few years, the EGO brand has staked a claim to being the gold standard for cordless lawn equipment with its high-voltage 56V battery platform and premium build quality, and the brand’s self-propelled mowers regularly top customer satisfaction charts (they show 4.6-star average rating with more than 2,600 reviews).

That’s no surprise, as the EGO mowers offer superior durability, long runtimes, quick charging, and enough torque to rival (if not outperform) comparable gas models.

Greenworks

Another electric lawn care standard-bearer, Greenworks has been covered a number of times in these pages for everything from a powerful 60V cordless chainsaw to an electric minibike. Today, though, we’re focusing specifically on the brand’s 24V 13″ brushless electric mower – a product with a 4.3-star rating after more than 21,000 Amazon reviews. (!)

Fans of the Greenworks lawnmowers often cite their low weight, durability, ease of use, and for a small suburban yard (let’s call it a 1/4-1/2 acres, on the high side) the 13″ version shown, above, should be more than up to the task.

WORX

Full disclaimer: I have a few WORX-branded toys in my garage, partly because of the brand’s smart, compact, and consumer-friendly approach to product design and partly because the brand’s excellent Power Share platform let users swap batteries between tools before some of the other brands figured out that was a huge selling point, giving WORX a significant head start in the logistical simplicity and convenience departments.

The results speak, meanwhile, for themselves. The brand enjoys high customer ratings for its 40V 17″ mower (above, which fits neatly between the other two options), and a growing base of users who’ve discovered that going electric doesn’t have to mean going expensive.

If you’re looking to get yourself some electric lawn equipment, keep an eye out for Electrek’s “Green Deals” posts which frequently feature big discounts. And check with your state or regional clean air regulator to see if any rebates are available – here’s California’s page, and here’s Colorado’s, but there are constantly shifting incentives available elsewhere too, so even if you’ve looked into those before: look again.

Source links throughout; featured image by EGO.

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Environment

New Mitsubishi Eclipse electric crossover gets real with 370 miles of range

Published

10 hours ago

November 8, 2025

admin

New Mitsubishi Eclipse electric crossover gets real with 370 miles of range

Mitsubishi Motors Launches the All-New Eclipse Cross Electric Vehicle for the European Market

This one is bound to upset the DSM purists still out there — meet the all-new Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross, an all-electric crossover with over 370 miles of range that’s rolling out to European dealers as you read this. (!)

First unveiled last month, the all-new Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross EV is one of the first fruits of the Nissan- Mitsubishi- Renault alliance to wear the Mitsubishi badge and early production versions of the new SUV have already begun rolling out of Renault’s ElectriCity Douai Plant in Cuincy, France.

“Following the launch of the Outlander plug-in hybrid EV (PHEV) and the Grandis hybrid EV (HEV), rolling out the all-new Eclipse Cross marks a crucial step in our electrification strategy in Europe,” said Takao Kato, president and chief executive officer of Mitsubishi Motors, at the vehicle’s debut. “Having developed the world’s first mass-produced BEV, Mitsubishi Motors has made it a mission to provide environmentally friendly vehicles and has been working toward achieving carbon neutrality. We will continue contributing to the realization of a decarbonized society by expanding our lineup of electrified vehicles, as well as addressing the diverse needs of our European customers.”

Smart Armor styling

Mitsubishi calls its latest Eclipse’ design language “Smart Armor,” and says that its design, “conveys robustness and security by incorporating powerful, armor-like design elements into an advanced and sophisticated smart EV design.”

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I don’t know about any of that, but the design is certainly a noticeable, modern update on the Outlander and Outlander Sport that have dominated the struggling Japanese car brand’s North American product line for the last decade. So, while it may not win any awards or make into a “future classics” coffee table book, the latest Eclipse would certainly look “new” in a modern American Whole Foods parking lot.

Modern outside, modern inside

Inside, the new Mitsubishi Eclipse EV offers a comforting mix of buttons and touchscreens angled, cockpit-style, towards the driver and finished in a color palette that will be familiar to any 1st-gen DSM driver, paired with the chunky steering wheel and diamond-quilted seats that drivers familiar with Mitsubishi’s more recent SUV- and crossover-heavy are used to.

Like the exterior, the new Eclipse EV’s probably won’t win any design awards, but it seems comfortable and practical enough and — I can’t state this enough — looks to be a noticeable improvement over the previous generation. The car’s tech, connectivity, and infotainment features, too, also seem thoroughly modern:

The all-new Eclipse Cross is equipped with a vertical 12.3-inch Smartphone-link Display Audio (SDA) system, offering the latest infotainment experience. As it is a vehicle with Google built-in1, drivers can use apps like Google Assistant and Google Maps the moment they step into the car and even download additional apps via Google Play. Simply saying “Hey Google” enables drivers to operate the air conditioner, search for destinations, make phone calls, and play music—all hands-free. Both Apple CarPlay®4 and Android AutoTM are supported with wireless connectivity, offering a seamless connection to smartphones. The audio system features a Harman Kardon premium sound system with five selectable listening modes to suit any mood or preference, delivering an immersive, high-quality sound experience. In addition, four drive modes, Personal, Eco, Comfort, and Sport can be selected at will through the SDA, depending on the driver’s preferences and driving conditions. The Mitsubishi Motors mobile app enables remote access to the vehicle, including locking and unlocking, charging, and checking the parking location, all from a smartphone, enhancing everyday convenience. The model supports Firmware-Over-The-Air (FOTA) wireless software update technology, enabling drivers to easily update to the latest software environment by simply following the instructions on the SDA screen.

The all-new Eclipse Cross features up to 20 advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS)5. Ultrasonic sensors, cameras, and forward radar constantly monitor the vehicle’s surroundings to support safe driving. With a range of advanced safety technologies, including the MI-PILOT2 same-lane driver assistance system for highways and Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA)2 system, it offers a safe and secure driving experience.

MITSUBISHI

The new Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross EV features an 87 kWh battery good for up to 600 km (~375 miles) of range on the European cycle. That battery sends electrons to a capable 160 kW (~215 hp) electric motor that delivers 300 Nm (220 lb-ft) of torque at 0 rpm. DC fast charging can happen at up to 150 kW of charging, which (by my math) works out to something like a 25 minute 10-80% charge time.

Spanish-language site Motorpasión was able to get their hands on a preproduction version of the new Mitsubishi Eclipse and gave it a pretty solid review. You can check that out here, but we’ll be holding back our review until Fred or Micah can get their hands on one. Stay tuned.

Electrek’s Take

2026 Mitsubishi Eclipse EV; via Mitsubishi.

I’ve alluded to this a few times in this article, but it’s worth saying again: the new Eclipse Cross EVs aren’t wining awards or setting any performance records here, but they’re perfectly adequate and zippy enough to more than keep up with modern traffic. And, frankly, that’s a refreshing change of pace from an automotive market that seems to be constantly chasing the cancerous mantra of, “bigger, faster, more.”

If Mitsubishi’s US dealers aren’t positively begging for the parent company to bring this new EV to North America, they have truly lost the plot.

SOURCE | IMAGES: Mitsubishi.

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