What Difference Can One EV Make?

We believe that electric vehicles have a fundamental role to play in overcoming the Climate Crisis, and in improving public health – with the 6 million tonnes of CO2e produced by Irish cars annually impacting both equally.

Despite this, we regularly come up against scepticism about the role that EVs can play in fighting the Climate Crisis – no doubt spurred on by the Irish Government’s previous tacit endorsement of diesel vehicles, as well as the growing amount of greenwashing in the media.

Today we look at the impact that a single EV can make in helping individuals and families to play their role in fighting the Climate Crisis.

The Context

Firstly, it is important to recognise that the average Irish person – as well-intentioned as they may be – lives an incredibly carbon-intense lifestyle.

In September 2020, my wife’s 2005 VW Golf ceased to be a viable option for our family. Aside from its emissions – which were a considerably factor in the switch – the car was increasingly costing more to run as parts failed due to wear-and-tear.

Wanting to cut our emissions, drive more sustainably and lower our costs, my wife elected to buy her first EV – a Peugeot e208 – to replace the Golf.

Since that time, her car has covered over 34,000km.

This is significant, as the average EV will offset the emissions of its production after around 30,000km, meaning that her car should now be as sustainable as it is possible for a car to be – with the only driving-related carbon emissions coming from the electricity we draw from the grid.

“Swapping a single petrol car to an electric one has helped us save 9.3 tonnes of CO2 as a family in 15 months - this equates to 69.9% of the average Irish person’s carbon footprint”

Cost Savings

Not only has switching to an EV cut carbon emissions for our family, but it has also helped us to cut costs.

The VW Golf offered an average of 39.6 miles per gallon (MPG) when new – meaning it was likely much lower than this by the time we sold it. For comparison, the e208 offers an equivalent of 172MPG.

The relative inefficiency of a petrol car compared to an EV means that, over the 34,000km driven, the Golf would have cost upwards of €2,305 in fuel alone, while maintenance costs were increasing year-on-year.

“In total, switching from a petrol car to an EV has saved our family in excess of €2,500 in 15 months”

In the meantime, the e208 has mostly been charged at home, at a cost of around €8 to charge it from empty. Having been charged in public a total of 32 times over 15 months, at an average cost of €5.13 per time, adding up to €164 in total, the e208 has offered considerable savings in day-to-day running costs – while maintenance has been non-existent, insurance was lower, and there were considerable savings for road tax.

Adding up the total financial savings of switching from a petrol vehicle to an EV, our family has saved in excess of €2,500 – all the while cutting our carbon emissions too.

Of course, we must acknowledge that using EV public transport or active travel is considerably better for the climate compared to personal EV use. However, with 5 million people already dying as a direct result of the Climate Crisis each year, switching to an EV is a meaningful change that can have huge consequences here at home in Ireland and in attaining a just climate transition.

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