New study finds electric vehicles are driven less than gas cars

The mass adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) is crucial for reducing carbon emissions in the United States. To understand the impact of EV ownership, it is important to determine how much EV owners actually drive their vehicles. Previous assumptions suggested that EV owners drive their cars as much as gasoline vehicle owners, but new research challenges this assumption.

In a large-scale study conducted by researchers from George Washington University and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, odometer data from millions of used cars and SUVs were analyzed. The study revealed that battery electric vehicle (BEV) cars were driven around 4,500 fewer miles annually compared to gas cars. The gap was also observed for SUVs, with electric models traveling fewer miles than their gas counterparts.

The study’s findings have significant implications. It suggests that current EV owners are not utilizing their vehicles as much as gas car owners. To maximize the environmental impact of EVs, high-mileage drivers should be encouraged to transition to electric vehicles. EVs generally have lower lifetime emissions, so replacing a gasoline vehicle with high mileage with an EV would result in larger emissions savings.

The study also compared the mileage of Tesla EVs with non-Tesla EVs, considering Tesla’s prominence in the market and unique features like longer range and a well-established charging network. However, even with these advantages, Teslas were still driven less than gas cars. On the other hand, plug-in hybrids and hybrid vehicles were found to be driven similarly to gas cars.

The research challenges current assumptions made by policymakers and regulatory bodies regarding EV mileage. It suggests that the emissions savings from EV adoption may be overestimated if the true mileage of EVs is not accurately considered. To better understand the impact of EV adoption, it is crucial to analyze not only who is buying EVs but also how they are using them and what trips they are substituting with cleaner EV trips.

Several factors may contribute to the lower mileage of EVs, including limited charging infrastructure and multi-vehicle households spreading out their annual miles among multiple vehicles. These findings also have implications for the electricity grid, as the anticipated electricity consumption from EVs might be lower than expected. Additionally, it is important to consider that manufacturing a battery-powered EV typically results in higher upfront emissions compared to a gasoline vehicle, so it would take longer to offset these emissions if EVs are not driven enough.

The study’s authors hope that their research will inform policies related to the impact of EV adoption. By accurately understanding EV mileage, policymakers can better estimate emissions savings and plan for future energy needs.

Source: Lujin Zhao et al, “Quantifying electric vehicle mileage in the United States,” Joule (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.joule.2023.09.015