How long before they realise EV pollute more over their lifetime than ICEs. Will this be like diesels?
They don't, John. It takes about 25k miles before the breakpoint where EVs are overall cleaner than ICE cars.
https://energypost.eu/latest-data-shows-lifetime-emissions-of-evs-lower-than-petrol-diesel/
Even in the worst case scenario, an electric car with a battery produced in China and driven in Poland still emits 22% less CO2 than diesel and 28% less than petrol, the tool shows. In the best case scenario, an electric car with a battery produced in Sweden and driven in Sweden can emit 80% less CO2 than diesel and 81% less than petrol.
The one area where EVs score less well than traditional cars is in the production process, where emissions are currently around 30% higher for EVs than for petrol cars (at the average global electricity mix). The authors therefore warn about a possible short-term increase in emissions during the time-lag between producing EVs and reaping the overall benefits of them emitting fewer gases over their lifetime - that's where the 25k mile figure comes from as calculated by Auke Hoekstra of TU Eindhoven.
