With the increasing concerns about climate change and the rise in pollution, electric vehicles were seen as an alternate to petrol and diesel vehicles. However, a new study has claimed just the opposite, saying that it is electric vehicles that are actually emitting more particulate pollutants then the conventional petrol and diesel vehicles.

The study was conducted by Emission Analytics, a firm specialising in emissions data analysis and challenged the existing belief. The study also shed light on the issue of particulate pollution originating from the brakes and tires in electric and conventional petrol/diesel-run vehicles.

Key Revelations

The study revealed that since electric cars have a heavier weight, they may emit higher levels of particulate matter from the brakes and tires compared to petrol or diesel-run cars equipped with efficient exhaust filters. According to the study, this disparity could be as much as 1,850 times greater.

Emission Analytics underscores the concern over tire wear, attributing it to the heavier weight of EVs which accelerates tyre deterioration and releases chemicals in the atmosphere. This degradation is primarily linked to the synthetic rubber composition of most tyres, derived from crude oil.

Another significant aspect highlighted in the report is the impact of weight of batteries on the EVs, as they typically feature heavier batteries compared to traditional petrol engines.

The study provides examples such as the Tesla Model Y and Ford F-150 Lightning, both equipped with batteries weighing approximately 1,800 pounds. While the study conducts that tire wear emissions from an EV with a half-tonne battery could exceed exhaust emissions from a modern petrol car by over 400 times.  

While normally studies focus on tailpipe emissions, this study focuses solely on the particulate matter from brakes and tires.

You might also be interested in - Supercars worth more than Rs 60 crores seized from businessman’s house