A Swedish researcher now says that there can be a greater environmental benefit in the diesel car. At least in relation to the electric car. Electricity should therefore only be an alternative.
Diesel is highlighted by some researchers as a possible more environmentally friendly alternative to electricity for electric cars.
And especially in a global context, where sustainability and transparency are necessary for consumers to make informed choices.
Researcher and founder of Consupedia, Roberto Rufo Gonzalez, works to analyze products from a sustainability perspective together with Det Kgl. Institute of Technology (KTH). He emphasizes that the question of the most climate-responsible car cannot be answered unambiguously:
– It is never possible to answer what is the best car, that question is too complex and too subjective, there are too many different characteristics of the different cars, which makes it difficult, says Roberto Rufo Gonzalez.
According to Gonzalez, electric cars are seen as one among several alternatives rather than the only solution to climate problems.
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He points out that we need transparency and options to promote a sustainable world. For those who cannot afford an electric car, diesel, especially with the addition of HVO fuel, can be a better alternative for the climate.
Gonzalez's research shows that electric cars powered by average global electricity can actually have a comparable or even higher CO₂ footprint than diesel cars.
He points out that globally, an electric car emits approximately 1.08 kilos of CO₂ per short kilometre, while a diesel car is around 1.23 kilograms per kilometres, based on the diesel mix in Sweden in 2023. However, the deviations are within a margin of error, which means that the difference is almost equalised.
– If you look at the margin of error, there is no difference at all, says Gonzalez.
This assessment is not shared by Sweden's response to the Energy Agency. Here it is claimed that electric cars are generally more climate-friendly.
Especially with fossil-free electricity, which is in both the Danish and Swedish electricity grids. The Danish Energy Agency therefore believes that Gonzalez's global approach overlooks the environmental benefit that local fossil-free electricity provides:
– Almost all the electricity the Swedes use is Swedish and fossil-free. To say otherwise is completely wrong, says Martin Johansson from the Danish Energy Agency to Aftonbladet .
Gonzalez emphasizes, however, that climate change is a global challenge, where both emissions and discharges must be assessed in a global perspective.
His calculations show that electric cars in countries such as China and the USA can have far greater CO₂ emissions per kilometer than in Sweden. According to his analyses, a diesel car that uses HVO fuel emits just 0.28 kilos of CO₂ per kilometre, while a petrol car with E85 emits 0.8 kilos per kilometer.
HVO, which is a chemical copy of diesel, but with a very low climate footprint. The disadvantage, however, is that HVO diesel is currently much more expensive per litres.
– HVO should be cheaper, it is better for the environment. But it is too expensive, and it affects the choices of ordinary consumers, points out fuel expert Nora Johnsson.
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