The world is steadily moving toward reliance on technology to generate electricity in the future using alternative energy sources, while the consequences of global warming worsen day by day.

This issue puzzles scientists, as excess energy needs storage equipment—which may be found in electric car batteries.

In the story of sustainability, energy generation, and the preservation of the planet's resources, electric batteries are gaining significant attention. Electric vehicles could play a major role in stabilizing power grids by feeding electricity back into them. They can also assist in developing renewable energy sources, according to a study published in the journal Nature.

Transitioning to renewable energy sources such as wind and solar is essential to combat global warming. However, these energy sources generate electricity intermittently and thus require improved short-term electricity storage capabilities.

This brings us to a new technology called V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid), which is currently under development. It allows electricity stored in vehicles to be transferred back to the grid. It enables EV batteries to store power when electricity is abundant and feed it back when the grid is lacking.

With the growing spread of electric cars, energy storage demands could be met by 2030 in most countries.

By 2050, electric batteries could have the capacity to store between 32 to 62 terawatts of electricity—exceeding the storage needs projected by the International Renewable Energy Agency.

The study included data from Chinese, European, American, and Indian markets, taking into account various factors such as battery technologies, distances traveled, and average temperatures, which affect battery lifespan.

Electric Vehicles Lead the Green Transition

Electric cars are seen as the core technology for reducing carbon emissions in the land transport sector, which accounts for about one-sixth of global emissions.

Today, the average global surface temperature is about 1.2°C above pre-industrial levels, leading to heatwaves and extreme weather events—with record temperatures reported this year—even before greenhouse gas emissions peak.

The energy sector is also a major contributor to polluted air, which over 99% of the world's population is forced to breathe. It's linked to more than 6.7 million premature deaths annually.

Given this complex reality, the emergence of a clean energy economy—driven by solar power and electric vehicles—offers hope for moving in the right direction to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement.

The latest “World Energy Outlook” report indicates a 40% rise in clean energy investments since 2020, along with widespread adoption of environmentally friendly technologies.

That year, one out of every 25 cars sold globally was electric. By 2023, the figure rose sharply to one in five.

In recent years, the electric vehicle market has seen tremendous global growth. More than 10 million EVs were sold in 2022, according to a report by the International Energy Agency, which expects 14 million to be sold by the end of this year.

As a result, electric vehicles may account for 18% of total car sales over the full year.

Electric Cars Mean Fewer Emissions

Electric cars play a key role in achieving global climate goals. They're also part of efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and limit global warming to below 1.5°C.

Experts widely agree that electric vehicles have a smaller carbon footprint over their lifespan compared to traditional gas-powered cars and trucks.

That’s because land transport emissions aren’t limited to tailpipe emissions—they include the entire lifecycle of fuel, from extraction and refining to transportation.

The vehicle’s lifecycle emissions—including the production of car components, manufacturing stages, and end-of-life recycling—also play a role.

EVs emit no tailpipe emissions, and even hybrid models emit significantly less than conventional vehicles. Overall, electric vehicles produce fewer greenhouse gases and air pollutants over their lifespan compared to gasoline or diesel equivalents.

Emissions are generally higher during the production phase of EVs due to the energy-intensive process of extracting and processing lithium-ion battery materials. Manufacturers are working to develop solutions to address this drawback.

Over time, EV production is expected to become more efficient, and electricity generation cleaner—leading to a 73% reduction in life-cycle emissions of a typical EV by 2050.

Although EV manufacturing currently has a higher environmental cost, this is offset over time due to their energy efficiency.

In general, the total greenhouse gas emissions associated with manufacturing, charging, and operating an EV over its lifetime are lower than those of gasoline vehicles.

According to the European Environment Agency, EV emissions are about 17–30% lower than those of gasoline and diesel vehicles.

Clean Power for Zero-Emission Vehicles

EVs don’t emit greenhouse gases directly, but the electricity they run on is still largely generated using fossil fuels.

However, as countries shift toward clean energy and decarbonize electricity generation to meet climate targets, emissions from charging EVs are expected to fall sharply.

Emissions from the manufacturing and production of new EVs are also expected to decline. This means EVs could be 100% green by the time they leave the factory.

A recent study led by researchers from the University of Exeter and University College London suggests the world may have already passed a “tipping point” that will make solar energy our primary power source.

Published in Nature Communications under the title “The Momentum of the Solar Transition,” the paper suggests solar photovoltaic energy could become the dominant electricity source before 2050.

Researchers predict that solar PV and wind power could become dominant electricity technologies within one or two decades, even without strong climate policies.

In Europe—where EV sales are growing—the reliance on clean energy has had a visible impact on reducing emissions from EV charging.

Switzerland led the way, generating electricity mainly from nuclear and hydro sources and achieving a 100% reduction in average carbon output compared to gasoline cars. Norway achieved a 98% reduction, France 96%, Sweden 95%, and Austria 93%, according to a Reuters study.

The data also shows that driving an EV in Germany—where the electricity mix includes renewables and coal—results in a 55% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

Another study by the European NGO Transport & Environment (T&E) found that the average EV in the EU is nearly three times better than an efficient gasoline or diesel car in terms of carbon emissions.

By 2030, EV sales are expected to reduce CO₂ emissions by fourfold thanks to EU power grids increasingly relying on renewable sources.

Electric Car Charging Stations

Now let’s talk about the different charging levels.

If you plug an EV into a standard American wall outlet (Level 1), without a charging station, you'll get a charging rate of about 1 kilowatt.

If you install a home charging station (Level 2), you'll likely get a power output between 7 kW and 19 kW.

An older public fast charging station (Level 3 or DCFC) might deliver around 50 kW.

A newer advanced fast charging station could deliver 150 kW or more.

As you can see, it’s important to understand charging speed—some chargers can be up to 150 times faster than a regular wall socket.

Electric Car Batteries

Now let’s talk about battery sizes.

For example, the 2019 Nissan Leaf comes with two battery options: 40 kWh and 62 kWh. Let’s say you have the 40 kWh model and you buy a 7 kW home charging station. If you start charging from empty (which you probably won’t do), and charge at maximum speed until full, how long will it take?

Yes, around 6 hours (40 kWh ÷ 7 kW = 5.7 hours).