Driving change: Electric vehicles slash emissions across America

Choosing a more electrified vehicle lowers your greenhouse gas footprint no matter which county you call home. 

A new analysis shows battery-electric vehicles deliver the lowest lifetime emissions in every part of the contiguous United States, with hybrids and plug-in hybrids also beating their gasoline counterparts.

The benefits of electric vehicles

Researchers at the University of Michigan (U-M) mapped cradle-to-grave emissions for 35 combinations of electric vehicle class and powertrain, then compared results county by county.

The team also released a free online calculator so drivers can see estimates tailored to what they drive, how they drive, and where they live.

Study senior author Greg Keoleian is a professor at the U-M School for Environment and Sustainability. 

“Vehicle electrification is a key strategy for climate action. Transportation accounts for 28% of greenhouse gas emissions and we need to reduce those to limit future climate impacts such as flooding, wildfires and drought events, which are increasing in intensity and frequency,” said Keoleian.

“Our purpose here was to evaluate the cradle-to-grave greenhouse gas reduction from the electrification of vehicles compared with a baseline of gasoline-powered vehicles.”

Emissions from electric vehicles

The researchers tallied emissions from manufacturing, use, and end-of-life – then layered in real-world variables. They modeled four powertrains: conventional internal combustion (ICEV), hybrid (HEV), plug-in hybrid (PHEV), and battery electric (BEV). 

Afterwards, the team ran three body classes – pickup, SUV, and sedan – using “generic” 2025 vehicles that reflect what new buyers will see on lots. They captured driving style, city versus highway mix, and, for PHEVs, how often owners actually run on battery versus gasoline.

Geography mattered in two ways. Cold snaps reduce efficiency for all vehicles and trim electric range.

In addition, the carbon intensity of electricity varies widely across counties, so the same EV charged on a cleaner grid emits less per mile than it would in a coal-heavy region.

Even after accounting for those differences, battery electric vehicles still came out ahead everywhere.

What the analysis revealed

The major finding is simple. BEVs produce lower lifetime greenhouse gas emissions than any other powertrain in every county of the contiguous U.S. 

On average, gasoline pickups were the biggest emitters at 486 grams of carbon-dioxide equivalent per mile. Moving to a hybrid pickup cut that by about 23 percent. A battery-electric pickup cut it by roughly 75 percent.

Payload didn’t erase the advantage. A BEV pickup carrying 2,500 pounds still emitted less than 30 percent of a gasoline pickup with an empty bed.

On the other end of the spectrum, compact electric sedans were the cleanest choice at about 81 grams of CO₂-equivalent per mile – less than one-fifth the per-mile emissions of a gas pickup.

Range matters for manufacturing emissions. The lowest-emitting configuration in the study was a compact sedan BEV with a 200-mile range.

Bigger batteries add manufacturing impact, so stretching range nudges lifetime totals up, even as EVs retain their use-phase advantage.

The market context

While federal incentives are in flux, automakers are still steering toward electrification.

Ford recently touted a new, more affordable EV platform as a “Model T moment” for the company. Keoleian noted the policy-industry split but said the global trend is clear. 

“The government is backing off incentives, like the electric vehicle tax credit, but the original equipment manufacturers are heavily invested and focused on the technology and affordability of EVs,” he explained. 

“EVs are becoming the dominant powertrain in other parts of the world and manufacturers recognize that is the future for the U.S.”

Why location and behavior still matter

Two nearby drivers can have different footprints in the same model. Colder counties impose higher energy demand for heating and reduce EV range. Grid mix shifts by county and over time, altering the emissions tied to every kilowatt-hour. 

Behavior matters too. Aggressive driving burns more fuel. PHEVs shine only when they are plugged in often and driven mostly on electricity. The calculator bakes those nuances into individualized estimates.

How individuals can cut emissions

Electrification delivers the biggest drop. Choosing a smaller vehicle compounds the gain.

For many commuters, a compact BEV does the most to cut emissions per mile. Tradespeople who need a truck will still make a large dent by going hybrid or electric. 

“The thing is really matching your vehicle with your needs,” Keoleian said. “Obviously, if you’re in the trades, you may need a pickup truck. But you can get a battery electric pickup truck. If you’re just commuting to work by yourself, I’d recommend a sedan BEV instead.”

Tracking your carbon footprint

The study’s online calculator translates the science into practical guidance. Enter your vehicle type, driving pattern, and county, and it returns an estimate of lifetime and per-mile emissions across powertrains and classes.

The bottom line holds across the map. Swapping to an electric or more electrified model lowers your lifetime driving emissions.

Where you live and how you drive fine-tune the totals, but the direction is consistent. If you want to drive down your climate impact, the cleanest option is on the lot already.

The study is published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.

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