So you think you’re a green traveller ?

Fossil fuel-based mobility is inevitably linked with greenhouse gas emissions. But electric cars, even without an exhaust pipe, also generate greenhouse gas emissions. Even before they take to the road for the first time, electric cars have been polluting the environment from the manufacturing phase. The batteries contain rare metals such as neodymium or cobalt, as well as graphite and lithium, especially those made in China, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South America, and their assembly is also energy-intensive.

The aim of the CLIMOBIL app, developed by LIST researchers, is to let users understand why, how, and in which cases electromobility is actually green. The second objective is to show which conditions may cause electric vehicles to be counterproductive : for example, what happens when the battery size or the battery lifetime changes ? How do winter conditions affect battery performance ? What happens when electricity is produced in coal-fired power stations ?

Check out the greenhouse gas emissions of each type of vehicle using the CLIMOBIL app :

• Select an internal combustion engine vehicle by entering a brand and a model,
• Select an electric vehicle by entering a brand and a model,
• Select a region or an electricity source.

The graphs will show you how many kilometres it takes for the electric car to be cleaner than the internal combustion one.

If you want to know more about new mobility approaches and decarbonization, don’t miss the Energy Transition Dialogue, which will be held in Luxembourg on 24 October. It will be a meeting place to share ideas on smart and low-carbon energy technologies. The Minister for Energy Claude Turmes will present the government’s view on energy transition challenges up to 2050 and avid explorer Bertrand Piccard will open the event with his vision on this matter. Come and be part of the transition towards electrification and decarbonization !

Partner news The Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST)