According to an analysis conducted by the advocacy organization Transport & Environment (T&E), a rise in the adoption of electric vehicles will result in Europe saving approximately 20 million tonnes of CO2 this year.
This is comparable to the pollution produced by eight coal-fired power stations and signifies one encouraging development in an industry famously challenging to electrify.
Transportation is the sole sector that has not reduced its emissions since 1990; it trails other sectors such as industry, power production, and construction, accounting for approximately a third Regarding EU pollution. However, T&E’s most recent State of European Transport report 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 industry emitted 1.05 billion tonnes of CO2, which marks a decrease from the 1.1 billion tonnes recorded in 2019—a reduction of 5%. This decline can primarily be attributed to the significant increase in electric vehicle usage, effectively displacing gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles over recent years.
Now is certainly not the moment to retract environmental initiatives," asserts Todts. "To ensure the continent’s prosperity and security, this is the time to intensify our efforts.
Effective environmental measures have led to a significant increase in electric vehicle adoption.
Automobiles are the largest contributors to transportation-related pollution, 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 vehicles, and this advantage will increase as the electricity used to power them becomes even greener, according to T&E.
The advocacy organization forecasts that there will be 8.8 million battery electric vehicles on European roadways 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 automotive manufacturers as they approach the 2025 objective. Companies have consequently invested resources into altering their manufacturing processes toward electric vehicle production, coinciding with decreasing battery costs. This convergence suggests that by 2025, we can expect a wider array of cost-effective and mainstream electric model options.
Is the EU equipped with sufficient charging stations for all its electric vehicles?
Many people view insufficient charging stations as a barrier to purchasing an electric vehicle. However, T&E analysis indicates that the infrastructure has kept up with the increase in battery-electric vehicles.
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 roads, 11 nations have achieved the EU objective of installing charging stations every 60 kilometers. The AFIR is further encouraging the deployment of electric vehicle charging facilities in urban areas, with cities like Oslo, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Brussels, and Ljubljana at the forefront of this initiative.
Vehicle manufacturing emissions 'the next frontier' according to T&E
Electric vehicles aren't the ultimate solution to Europe's widespread issues. 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 to roughly 50 megatons of CO2 emissions.
According to T&E, batteries, aluminum, and steel are the primary sources of emissions that should be addressed. The organization is advocating for increased usage 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 report reveals that emissions from Europe’s maritime activities stay notably high at 195 Mt CO2e, with both industries being significantly dependent 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 combating climate change 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 originate from authoritarian governments and come at considerable cost.
