An electric car emits no exhaust gases while driving (it is "locally emission-free"). However, the crucial question for global climate protection is: Where does the electricity come from, and how much energy does building the car cost? There are massive differences here.
To compare different energy sources fairly, we look at how much of the invisible greenhouse gas CO₂ is released into the air to produce exactly one kilowatt-hour (1 kWh) of electricity.
How to test it: In Watttrip, there is a dropdown menu at the top called "Power Grid (CO₂ for EVs)". Change this value from "Eco" to "DE Mix". Watch how the kilogram figure for your trip changes drastically in the yellow-bordered CO₂ tile.
You often hear the argument: "But manufacturing the huge battery generates a ton of CO₂!" That is absolutely correct. But to be fair, we must compare this "backpack" with the construction of a combustion engine. While an ICE doesn't have a heavy battery, it requires a highly complex engine block, transmission, and a sophisticated exhaust system made of special metals.
The bare numbers on average:
An EV thus leaves the factory with a "CO₂ deficit" of about 3 to 5 tons compared to a combustion engine.
The Turning Point (Amortization):
Because the EV is extremely much more efficient while driving and no oil has to be burned, it quickly reduces this deficit with every kilometer driven. With our current electricity mix in Germany, the EV has completely offset (paid off) the production disadvantage after approx. 30,000 to 50,000 kilometers. After that, the EV actively saves the climate with every further kilometer compared directly.
While electricity generation is usually strictly calculated for EVs, an important factor is often forgotten for combustion engines: Petrol and diesel do not magically bubble out of the ground at the gas station.
To produce 1 liter of fuel, crude oil has to be pumped deep out of the ground halfway across the world. It is shipped across oceans, "cooked" and refined in huge refineries using extreme amounts of energy, before being driven by truck to your gas station.
This massive effort is called "Well-to-Wheel". Around 1.5 kWh of pure energy is consumed per liter of petrol before your car even starts its engine! If you then burn this liter in the engine later, another approx. 2.3 to 2.6 kg of CO₂ are produced.
How to test it: Go to the A/B comparison calculator. Select an electric car as Vehicle A and a combustion engine as Vehicle B. Watttrip already calculates the "Well-to-Wheel" approach. You will see: The EV wins enormously in terms of CO₂ emissions on the route because it uses energy so much more efficiently and completely bypasses the gigantic oil extraction effort.
The Final Conclusion: The power grid in Europe is becoming cleaner every year due to the expansion of wind and solar power. This means: An electric car you buy today will automatically emit less and less CO₂ over its lifespan. A combustion engine, on the other hand, will always produce exactly the same amount of harmful gases per liter of fuel – from the first to the very last day.