Which car affects the climate the least - really?

According to the Swedish Energy Agency, electric driving is by far the best for the environment. This applies both when calculating the entire life cycle of the fuel (well-to-wheel) and when considering which vehicle the fuel is used in. An electric car in Sweden produces only four grams of emissions per kilometer, according to the agency's latest report Fuel 2023. This can be compared with 158 grams for an average diesel car and a full 155 grams for a gasoline car.

Electricity is best even when it's "dirty"

But the analysis has weaknesses. The battery's life cycle load is not included, even though the origin of the electricity and the size of the battery have a significant impact on emissions. Nor has the electricity used for battery manufacturing, the battery's chemistry or its lifespan been taken into account.

Emissions from electric cars

So what happens if you take this into account, is the electric car still the best? The answer is yes. A study from the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) dispels any doubts that electric power would be best for the environment. Even in countries like China and India, where much of the electricity comes from oil and coal-fired power plants, the petrol car is not a better choice. In China, the electric car emits 37-45 percent less carbon dioxide emissions per kilometer than the petrol car and in India 19-34 percent. In Europe, which has the greenest electricity mix, the emissions from an electric car are approximately 66-69 percent lower. In the USA, the corresponding figure is 60-68 percent, according to the ICCT.

Battery manufacturing and the problems

But anyone thinking about buying an electric car also has other aspects to take into account. Environmental, but also ethical. The metals cobalt and lithium are used in battery production, 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, ironically enough, are often powered by fossil fuels. Large amounts of water are also used, which means that local groundwater can both run out and possibly also be polluted in the process. This is a problem, especially in countries where there is already a shortage of water in the ground.

Other fuels then? We go back to the report Fuels 2023. It shows that there are really good alternatives for those of you who want to reduce your climate footprint, but for some reason do not choose electricity. If you have a diesel car, you actually don't even have to do anything other than choose a different pump the next time you fill up. By completely or partially replacing diesel with HVO, you can significantly reduce emissions.

How do you know if your car can be driven on HVO100?

HVO, you mean? 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 found in regular gasoline and diesel due to the reduction obligation, but all fuel chains today offer an eco-diesel with an extra high proportion of HVO. Preem has its “Evolution Diesel”, at Circle K it is called “Miles Diesel” and at OKQ8 “GoEasy Diesel”. The cleanest variant is HVO100. With it, emissions are reduced by a full 89 percent compared to regular diesel (25 g CO2/km). However, not all cars can run on HVO100. Check if your car is approved by the car manufacturer by looking for the designation XTL on the fuel tank cap and in the owner's manual. OKQ8 also has a list of car models here .

Don't forget the palm oil

The fact that palm oil and PFAD, a product that occurs during the refining of palm oil, are often used in the production of HVO100 is also problematic because it contributes to the deforestation of rainforests. According to a review by Dagens Nyheter, only Preem's 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. The emissions from FAME100 are also higher (63 g CO2/km).

Other environmentally friendly (more) alternatives

Gas cars are also a better environmental choice because they largely run on biogas extracted from landfills, sewage treatment plants and composts. With E85, which consists of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline, you can also expect to reduce your emissions if you currently drive on regular gasoline or diesel. E85 is the most widely used renewable fuel in Sweden, both in cars and at gas stations. But its popularity has gradually decreased over the past ten years, partly due to rumors of engine problems and the fact that politics has instead directed incentives towards electric cars. According to the Swedish Energy Agency, emissions from an ethanol car are approximately 50 percent lower than for a corresponding gasoline car.

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

Diesel MK1: 158 g/kmF

Petrol MK1: 155 g/km

E85: 77g/km

AME100: 70g/km

HVO100: 36 g/km

Vehicle gas: 14 g/km

Electricity: 4 g/km

Source: Swedish Energy Agency (2023) which also makes it clear that the reduction obligation was lowered at the turn of the year 2023/2024. This means that emissions from diesel MK1 in particular have increased, but the effect will not be visible until the 2024 report.