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Emissions from Hybrid and Plug-In Electric Vehicles

In general, hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), and all-electric vehicles (EVs) produce lower emissions than conventional vehicles do. When measuring well-to-wheel emissions, the electricity source is important: for PHEVs and EVs, part or all of the power comes from the electric grid.

Electricity Sources and Emissions

EVs and PHEVs running on electricity only have zero tailpipe emissions, but emissions may be produced by the source of electrical power, such as a power plant. Electricity generation is regional, so to get an accurate picture of the emissions created by an electric drive vehicle it is important to look at the sources used to create electricity in a particular area. If the electricity used to charge an all-electric vehicle comes from a nonpolluting, renewable source, such as wind or solar, driving the vehicle produces no emissions.

Compare Electricity Sources and Annual Vehicle Emissions

Enter a ZIP code to see a breakdown of the electricity sources used to charge EVs and PHEVs on a local grid and compare the annual emissions generated from vehicles using electricity from the grid, gasoline, or a combination of the two.
ZIP Code
National Averages
Annual Emissions per Vehicle
(lb of C02 equivalent)

Comparing Well-to-Wheel Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Compare greenhouse gas emissions and fuel costs for a selection of common conventional and electric drive vehicles for a 100-mile trip in the chart below.

Emissions and Fuel Cost for a 100-Mile Trip
Vehicle
(compact sedans)		 Greenhouse Gas Emissions
(pounds of CO2 equivalent)		 Total Fuel Cost
(U.S. Dollars)
Conventional 87 lb CO2 $13.36
Hybrid Electric 57 lb CO2 $8.78
Plug-in Hybrid Electric 62 lb CO2 $7.10
All-Electric 54 lb CO2 $3.74
Sources and Assumptions

Tailpipe vs. Well-to-Wheel Emissions

Emissions are measured as tailpipe or well-to-wheel emissions. Tailpipe emissions refer to emissions produced through fuel combustion during a vehicle's operation. Well-to-wheel emissions take into account the production and distribution of the fuel (for HEVs and PHEVs) and the production of electricity (for PHEVs and EVs).

Related Report

Learn more about electric drive vehicle emissions in Argonne National Laboratory's report: Well-to-Wheels Energy Use and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Analysis of Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles.

To perform more in-depth analyses of alternative fuel versus conventional fuel emissions, see the AFDC Electricity Emissions page.