Another way electric cars clean the air: study says brake dust reduced by 83%
A new study is out which quantifies just how much EVs help not just in cutting harmful exhaust emissions, but also cutting other types of pollution that come from personal vehicles. But of course, public transport, biking and walking are even better.
We’ve seen plenty of studies showing how the benefits of shifting to EVs translate to the real world, for example in California and London, where higher EV shares and regulations aimed at cutting down the excesses of polluting vehicles have produced significant air quality benefits already.
As it has become more and more untenable for anti-EV propagandists to deny the air quality benefits of EVs, a common refrain from them has become “but tailpipe emissions aren’t everything, what about brakes and tires, huh?!”
Putting aside for the moment the clear concern trolling involved in this response, it’s always been easy enough to point to regenerative braking as a reason that EVs improve that problem too – since they rarely use the brakes, they obviously wouldn’t emit as many brake particles.
But now we have proper quantification of that, and not only is the reduction in brake dust from battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) quite high, its also much higher than the benefit gained from either conventional gas-only hybrids or plug-in hybrids (PHEVs).
The analysis looked at various “non-exhaust emissions” of road transport, recognizing that as car exhaust becomes cleaner due to greater fleet electrification, other forms of emissions will end up taking over as the dominant pollutants from road transport.
It turns out that BEVs reduce the amount of brake dust by 83%, according to a new analysis by EIT Urban Mobility (a body of the European Union) and Transport for London. The study looked primarily at London, Milan and Barcelona.
The primary reason for this is the use of regenerative braking, meaning that electric vehicles can slow down without rubbing friction brakes. Other vehicles that use regenerative braking reduced brake emissions too, with Hybrids reducing them by 10-48%, and PHEVs by 66%.
Other forms of non-exhaust emissions also analyzed
The analysis looked at other forms of pollution as well, from tire and road wear.
On tire wear, the study assumed that BEVs would be responsible for more tire wear due to their greater weight. The study claims that BEVs are about 20% heavier than gas cars – though much of this is attributable to a vehicle mix that is more focused on larger vehicles, as it seems like every EV manufacturer is making huge SUVs and few are making small cars (a trend that can be seen in gas cars as well, which are 21% heavier than they were 20 years ago, and new EVs are more highly represented at the culmination of this trend).
When looking side-by-side at the best purpose-built EVs and their gas-powered counterparts, such as the Tesla Model 3 and the BMW 3 series, there is little difference in weight (the Tesla is only about ~200lbs heavier, across the model line, a difference of about 5%, not 20%).
Despite the slightly higher levels of tire wear from EVs, brake dust was found to be more unhealthy, as brake dust is much more likely to become airborne (>40%) than tire wear is (1-5%). So EVs create a lot less of the worse thing, and a little more of the less-bad thing.
Even using the study’s 20% number for EV. vs. gas car weight, this doesn’t handicap EVs much. BEVs produce 38% less total brake, road and tire wear combined, without even taking into account their exhaust benefits.
The analysis includes an interactive modeling tool where you can examine different types of transport and the amount of emissions they produce, with electric models being the clear winner out of the various analyzed powertrains.
We plugged in a few numbers and taking into account every form of emissions – brakes, tires, road wear and exhaust – electric cars even fared nearly as well as gas-powered motorcycles. While an individual EV does still produce 57% more total emissions than a gas-powered motorcycle per mile, as long as that car has higher occupancy than the motorcycle, that means it could fare better in terms of emissions per person-mile.
Shifting away from private cars is even better
The mention of person-miles brings up another answer for these problems: “mode shifting,” or moving drivers from cars to other methods of transport.
Buses and other heavy vehicles are accounted for in the tool, and they’ve got bigger numbers, but that doesn’t actually mean they’re dirtier.
While buses are obviously responsible for more emissions than cars individually, once you take into account the number of people they carry, that number plummets significantly. Buses may be responsible for ~4-5 times as many non-exhaust emissions as cars per mile, but a bus can hold an order of magnitude more people than a car can, reducing both emissions and traffic congestion.
And, just as was the case with electric cars, electric buses perform significantly better in terms of total emissions than gas buses do.
Beyond that, you get down to the absolute best answers: walking and biking. These two methods produce negligible environmental impact, and the study recommends that cities focus on encouraging these forms of transport wherever possible.
Luckily, we here at Electrek also love to cover electric bikes, which are a great way to get around that still offers the health and environmental benefits of cycling, but reduce the annoyances you might get from hills or windy days.
Study recommendations
Taking all this information together, the study makes some recommendations. It obviously points out that fleet electrification will be beneficial in reducing non-exhaust emissions, and suggests that that should continue rapidly.
However, it also points out that the total reduction in non-exhaust emissions from shifting drivers to public transport, rather than individual vehicles, can be 5x higher than just electrifying the vehicle fleet alone. So shifting drivers to using public transport should be prioritized when possible. Or, getting people to walk or bike instead.
For those vehicles that do remain on the road, lower-wear products can be encouraged, like carbon composite brake discs or those coated with hard metal coatings. Similarly, some tires are more wear-resistant than others, and there is little regulation forcing focus on lower-wear tire technologies.
Governments should also work to reverse ballooning vehicle sizes and higher SUV share for private vehicles (where have we heard that before…).
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General Motors may be better known for its lineup of full-size trucks and SUVs, but a recently published patent shows the legacy automaker has at least considered something much smaller and nimbler: an electric motorcycle.
The patent, which surfaced earlier this year in a report by Visordown, outlines a lightweight, scrambler-style electric two-wheeler that has set off a fresh wave of speculation about GM’s potential interest in electric motorcycles or micromobility.
The design in the patent filing shows a slim electric motorcycle with a flat bench seat, upright handlebars, and dual-sport tires, suggesting a utility-forward ride meant for light off-road or potentially even mixed urban use (if it were homologated for street use).
The rear hub motor and what appears to be a central battery housing point to a simple, low-maintenance drivetrain, potentially aimed at the commuter or recreational rider market.
The overall look is somewhere between a moped and a small electric dirt bike, reminiscent of models like the Sur Ron Light Bee or Talaria Sting, though slightly more street-looking with less of a focus on pure dirt.
While the patent doesn’t include performance specs or firm production plans, it’s the clearest signal yet that GM is at least experimenting with the idea of higher-powered two-wheeled EVs. And there is some precedent. GM previously dipped a toe into the micromobility waters with the Ariv electric bicycle project, and more recently partnered with Recon Power Bikes to release a Hummer-branded fat tire e-bike.
Both efforts showed that GM sees value in offering electric alternatives beyond the traditional four-wheel format, even if the Ariv program quietly ended after a short run.
Whether this patent leads to a full-fledged GM electric motorcycle remains to be seen. It’s entirely possible the design is a concept or technology demo with no intention of hitting the market. But there are other possibilities too. GM could develop a motorcycle under one of its existing sub-brands, create a new division specifically for electric powersports, or partner with an existing two-wheeler manufacturer to license or co-develop the platform.
The timing wouldn’t be far-fetched. Despite bumpy roads in the larger flagship electric motorcycle market, lightweight electric motorcycles are booming, with companies like Ryvid targeting urban riders looking for clean, compact alternatives to traditional gasoline-powered bikes.
At the same time, a growing number of younger consumers are bypassing car ownership entirely, instead looking toward e-bikes, scooters, and low-speed electric motorcycles for daily transport. A small, stylish, and affordable GM electric motorcycle could hit that sweet spot.
Of course, turning a patent drawing into a real-world vehicle is a big leap, and GM’s own e-bike history is a reminder that two-wheeled projects can be short-lived. Still, it’s hard to ignore the symbolism of this move: even one of America’s largest automakers is exploring what personal electric transportation looks like when you cut the vehicle in half. GM might not be ready to ditch its trucks, but it clearly hasn’t ruled out hopping on a bike.
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The electric restomod experts at Lunaz have turned their talents towards the classic Rolls-Royce Phantom V limousine – and the result is exactly the kind of smooth, quiet, and luxurious ride RR’s founders would have built.
Rolls-Royce’ founders dedicated their engineering talents to developing cars that were smooth, quiet, and adequately powerful – and they spared no expense. The company Charles Rolls and Henry Royce founded would eventually go on to develop some of the most powerful and celebrated combustion engines of the twentieth century … but the car they wanted to build? It was electric.
“The electric car is perfectly noiseless and clean,” Charles Rolls told The Motor-Car Journal, all the way back in April of 1900. (!) “There is no smell or vibration, and they should become very useful when fixed charging stations can be arranged. But for now, I do not anticipate that they will be very serviceable – at least for many years to come.”
Well, 125 years seems like “many” to – and the talented craftspeople and engineers at Lunaz seem to agree. Meet the Lunaz Rolls-Royce Phantom V limousine.
It’s glorious
Lunaz says it’s true to Rolls’ vision “down to the smallest, most indulgent detail.” To that end, the company re-trims the modern heated and ventilated seats in fine leathers, hand-cut and stitched to the buyers’ specifications. In the rear, the center console can be ordered with a built-in cigar humidor, a cocktail bar, or some other custom-spec, lockable storage lined in suede and polished walnut (translation: guns and drugs, probably).
When reimagining the Rolls-Royce Phantom V, (we) started by understanding the essence of its original design. Every component and dynamic was scrutinized to identify where thoughtful innovation could truly elevate the experience. The result is a harmonious blend of modern advancements and original mastery, unlocking new levels of performance, reliability and refinement while honoring Rolls-Royce’ classic soul.
Like the classic Bentley S2 Continental the company revealed in 2023, the big electric Roller is equipped with an 80 kWh battery pack sending electrons to a proprietary Lunaz drivetrain featuring 400 hp worth of electric motors delivering a silky-smooth 530 lb-ft of torque, good for a 0-100 km/h (62 mph) swoosh in about seven seconds. Of course, why you’d ever ask your driver to perform such plebian stunts is simply beyond me.
The transformation and restoration took more than 5,500 man-hours to complete, and involve more than 11,000 new or reconditioned components at a cost of more than £1 million (about $1.35 million US). If you place your order today, you should get yours in 18-24 months.
Lunaz Rolls-Royce gallery
SOURCE | IMAGES: Lunaz.
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Fortescue has taken the wraps off a prototype of its proposed “Infinity Train” electric locomotive, making the 1,100 km (about 685 miles) trip from Perth to the Pilbara and marking a major milestone in the decarbonization of the company’s heavy haul operations.
Co-developed with the locomotive experts at Downer Group, Fortescue revealed its concept for a battery electric “Infinity Train” back in March of 2022. At the time, the company promised a “world’s first” iron ore train capable of fully charging its batteries through regenerative braking. The two companies claimed the clever technology would create a self-sustaining, zero-emission rail system powered entirely by the force of gravity during the train’s loaded downhill travels.
This week, the concept went from the drawing board to the real world, completing an 1,100 km trip across Australia and proving itself to be up to the task of handling the grueling demands of Fortescue’s massive mining operations.
“We’re thrilled to see our battery electric locomotive prototype arrive in the Pilbara,” said Ellie Coates, CEO of Fortescue Zero. She added that the achievement, using zero fossil fuels, “represent(s) a major step in Fortescue’s journey to Real Zero.”
The Fortescue Infinity Train uses the energy produced by slowing the loaded train on downhill sections of the company’s 385 mile private, heavy-haul rail network to recharge its battery systems. That energy is enough to bring the unloaded train back to the mine, eliminating the need for external charging infrastructure or additional renewable energy sources, making the train almost entirely self-sufficient.
Fortescue says the deployment of the Infinity Train concept at its mines will eliminate more than 82 million liters of diesel fuel consumption (about 21 million gallons, which ChatGPT tells me amounts to about 235,200 tons of CO₂ emissions).
That change alone would eliminate about 11% of Scope 1 emissions annually for Fortescue all on its own, putting it well on its way to its stated goal of achieving “Real Zero” emissions-free operations.
Electrek’s Take
Using gravity to charge up heavily-laden mining vehicles on downhill runs is an idea that’s been put into practice for years, with great success wherever the topography allows (since 2017, at least). Combining that clever use of gravity, traction braking, and battery storage for use on a rail system like this just seems smart, and it makes me think we’re just scratching the surface of all the clever ways electrification and battery storage will eventually get put to use.
I wonder what would happen if you threw some battery electric rail cars into the mix, as well!? You guys are smart, head down to the comments and let me know (and, while you’re there, help me check ChatGPT’s math on those carbon emissions).
SOURCE | IMAGES: Fortescue, via LinkedIn.
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