In short, yes. A common myth about EVs is that harvesting the elements needed to produce their batteries is more harmful for the environment than building an ICEV is. Despite the higher greenhouse gas emissions associated with building EVs, their total emissions over the life of the car can be 40% to 60% lower than the emissions of ICEVs, because EVs do not emit any carbon dioxide when driven.
Although the harvesting of rare Earth minerals and other elements needed for EV batteries is environmentally harmful, EV batteries can be recycled at the end of their lifetime.
For instance, battery recycling company Umicore says it can recover 95% of the nickel, copper and cobalt in EV batteries for reuse.
Because EVs tend to be heavier than ICEVs and produce higher torque, some have argued that EVs wear through tires more quickly and produce more particulate matter than gas-powered cars do. A study by researchers at the University of Portsmouth in the U.K. found that tire breakdown accounted for 28% of the world’s microplastics.
But tire friction in both ICEVs and EVs produce particulate pollution, and driving style and road quality have bigger impacts on how much pollution is produced, German tire manufacturer Continental told The Guardian.
Finally, if power plants and car manufacturing plants increasingly use renewable sources of energy, the initial emissions associated with making EVs will approach zero. ICEVs, in comparison, will always spew CO2.