The cleanliness of an electric vehicle directly depends on the source of energy for recharging, the researchers write. If it is powered by hydroelectric power, wind generators or solar panels, the CO2 emissions will be many times lower compared to a conventional car. For example, in European countries where the share of alternative energy is high, the carbon footprint of an electric car is three times smaller. In India and China, where there are still many coal-fired power plants, the carbon footprint of electric cars is “shorter” than that of cars with internal combustion engines, by 25–40%.
Nuclear energy can also serve as a source of energy for recharging electric vehicles.
In Montenegro, already today the electricity generated from the sun and wind would be enough for a third of the entire vehicle fleet. That is, if everyone switched to electric cars, a third would drive “in the sun and wind.”