Which car affects the climate the least - really?

According to the Swedish Energy Agency, electric operation is by far the best for the environment. This applies both when you calculate over the entire life cycle of fuel (well-to-wheel) and when you weigh in which vehicle the fuel is used in. An electric car in Sweden produces only five grams of emissions per kilometer, according to the authority's latest report Fuel 2019. This can be compared with 146 grams for an average diesel car and as much as 186 grams for a petrol car.

Electricity is best even when it is "dirty"

But the analysis has weaknesses. The life cycle load of the battery is not included, even though the origin of the electricity and the size of the battery have a significant impact on the emissions. Neither has the electricity used for battery manufacturing, the battery's chemistry or its lifespan been calculated. What happens then if you take this into account, is the electric car still the best? The answer is yes. A new study by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) dispels any doubts that electric operation would be best for the environment. Even in countries like China and India, where much of the electricity comes from oil and coal power plants, the gasoline car is not a better choice. In China, the electric car emits 37-45 percent less carbon dioxide emissions per kilometer than the gasoline car, and in India 19-34 percent. In Europe, which has the greenest electricity mix, emissions from an electric car are approximately 66-69 percent lower. In the USA, the corresponding figure is 60-68 percent, according to ICCT.

Battery manufacturing and the problem

But anyone considering buying an electric car also has other aspects to take into account. Environmental, but also ethical. In battery production, the metals cobalt and lithium are used, the extraction of which is problematic to say the least. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, which accounts for more than half of the world's cobalt production, the human rights organization Amnesty has raised the alarm about child and slave labor in the mines. Further criticism is that the mining machines are, ironically, often powered by fossil fuels. It also consumes large amounts of water, which means that local groundwater can both run out and possibly also be polluted in the process. Especially in countries where water in the ground is already scarce, this is a problem.

Other fuels then? We go back to the Fuel 2019 report. It shows that there are really good alternatives for you who want to reduce your climate footprint, but for some reason don't choose electricity. If you have a diesel car, you don't even have to do anything other than choose a different pump the next time you refuel. By completely or partially replacing diesel with HVO, you can significantly reduce emissions.

This is how you know if your car can be driven on HVO100

WHO are you thinking? HVO stands for hydrogenated vegetable oil and is a type of biodiesel that is chemically identical or very similar to fossil diesel. It is already available in regular petrol and diesel due to the reduction obligation, but all fuel chains today offer an environmental diesel with an extra high proportion of HVO. Preem has its "Evolution Diesel", on Circle K it is called "Miles Diesel" and on OKQ8 "GoEasy Diesel". The purest variant is HVO100. With it, emissions are reduced by as much as 89 percent compared to regular diesel (25 g CO2/km). However, not all cars can run on HVO100, check your car is approved by the car manufacturer by looking for the designation XTL on the fuel cap and in the owner's manual. OKQ8 also has a compilation of car models here .

Don't forget the palm oil

The fact that palm oil and PFAD, a by-product of the refining of palm oil, are often used in the production of HVO100 is also problematic because it contributes to the destruction of rainforests. According to a review by Dagens Nyheter last year, only Preems Evolution Diesel is completely free of palm oil and PFAD. FAME is another type of biodiesel where the raw material is usually rapeseed or soy. But even fewer cars can run on pure FAME, FAME100, than HVO100. Emissions from the FAME100 are also higher (63 g CO2/km).

The gas then?

Even gas cars are a better environmental choice because they largely run on biogas extracted from landfills, treatment plants and composts. The emissions from a gas car are comparable to the emissions from a car that runs on HVO100 (38 g CO2/km). With E85, which consists of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline, you can also count on reducing your emissions, if you currently drive on regular gasoline or diesel. E85 is the most widespread renewable fuel in Sweden, both in cars and filling stations. But the popularity has gradually declined over the past ten years, partly as a result of rumors about engine problems and the fact that politics instead directed incentives towards electric cars. According to the Energy Agency, the emissions from an ethanol car are approximately 40 percent lower than for an equivalent gasoline car.

CO2 emissions (g/km) from an average passenger car

Petrol MK1: 186 g/km

Diesel MK1: 146g/kmF

AME100: 63 g/km

HVO100: 25 g/km

E85: 114 g/km

Vehicle gas: 38 g/km

Electricity: 5 g/km

Source: The Swedish Energy Agency (2019)