According to fresh analysis from the advocacy organization Transport & Environment (T&E), an increase in the adoption of electric vehicles will result in Europe saving approximately 20 million tonnes of CO2 this year.
This is comparable to the emissions from eight coal power plants and signifies one encouraging development in an industry notorious for its challenges in reducing carbon emissions.
Transportation is the sole sector that has seen an increase in emissions since 1990, trailing behind industry, power production, and construction, accounting for approximately a third Regarding EU pollution. However, T&E’s most recent report on the state of European transport reveals new insights. report shows that emissions have started to decrease.
"The European Union's environmental policies are finally having an impact. With the shift towards electric vehicles, we're witnessing a significant reduction in transportation-related emissions," states William Todds, who serves as the executive director of T&E.
In 2024, Europe's transportation sector emitted 1.05 billion tonnes of CO2, which represents a decline from the 1.1 billion tonnes recorded in 2019—a reduction of 5%. This decrease can primarily be attributed to the significant rise in electric vehicle adoption, gradually displacing gasoline and diesel-powered options over recent years.
Now is not the time to retract environmental initiatives," asserts Todts. "To ensure the continent’s prosperity and security, it is crucial to intensify our efforts.
Effective environmental measures have led to a significant increase in electric vehicle adoption.
Automobiles lead as the top transportation pollutants, emitting a combined total of 450 megatonnes of CO₂ equivalent emissions annually, accounting for 13 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions within the European Union.
Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are already three times more environmentally friendly than petrol cars, and this advantage will increase as the electricity powering them becomes greener, according to T&E.
The advocacy organization forecasts that there will be 8.8 million battery electric vehicles on European roads this year, indicating that one out of every five newly purchased cars in the EU will emit no exhaust fumes.
The report attributes much of this advancement primarily to the European Union's CO₂ regulations for vehicles. These guidelines offer clarity for automakers as they approach the 2025 objective. Car manufacturers have invested in shifting their manufacturing processes toward electric vehicles, coinciding with decreasing battery costs. Consequently, by 2025, we can expect an increased availability of more cost-effective and widely accessible electric vehicle models.
Is the EU equipped with sufficient charging stations for all its electric vehicles?
Many people view insufficient charging stations as a barrier to purchasing electric vehicles; however, T&E analysis indicates that the infrastructure development has kept up with the increase in battery-electric vehicle sales.
Under the EU Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR), each country has annual targets based on a ratio of total charging power output and the number of electric cars on the road. The bloc’s 2025 target was exceeded back in 2022, and there are now more than 1,100 charge points .
Across major roadways, 11 nations have achieved the EU objective of installing charging stations at intervals not exceeding 60 kilometers. Additionally, the AFIR is accelerating the deployment of electric vehicle charging facilities within urban areas, with cities like Oslo, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Brussels, and Ljubljana taking the lead in this initiative.
Vehicle manufacturing emissions 'the next frontier' according to T&E
Electric vehicles aren't the ultimate solution to Europe's widespread issue. transport problem , however.
Firstly, their manufacturing process remains quite environmentally damaging. Given that approximately 10 million new cars are sold annually, the production of these electric vehicles (not including batteries) contributes roughly 50 megatons of CO2 emissions.
According to T&E, batteries, aluminum, and steel are the key areas for reducing emissions, with the organization advocating increased utilization of eco-friendly and recycled steel.
Aircraft emissions are hindering attempts to make transportation more sustainable.
Even with advancements on European roadways, the researchers caution that rising air pollution is offsetting attempts to reduce transportation-related emissions.
Europe’s airlines emitted 143 million tons of CO₂ last year, an increase of almost 10 percent from 2023.
The emissions from Europe's maritime activities continue to be notably high at 195 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent, according to the report, since these sectors heavily depend on fossil fuels.
However, with shipping now incorporated into the EU’s carbon trading system ( ETS Combined, both sectors are expected to generate €5 billion in revenue in 2024, as estimated by T&E.
These resources can help close the cost difference between eco-friendly e-fuels and conventional fossil fuels, which is crucial for advancing efforts in climate protection and ensuring stable energy supplies.
" Europe is gradually freeing itself from its reliance on oil, yet we continue to spend hundreds of billions on imports from foreign nations," states Todts.
In 2023, fossil fuel imports continue to be the primary energy supply for transportation, accounting for 96 percent of Europe's crude oil and 90 percent of its natural gas sourced internationally. These fuels frequently come from authoritarian governments and entail significant costs.
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