Hybrid vs EV

My electric vehicle (EV) was recently out of commission, so I rented a Toyota Corolla hybrid for a 330km round trip to Newcastle.  I was surprisingly impressed with the car's fuel efficiency, averaging 4.1L per 100km for the journey. This got me thinking – how does this fuel economy stack up against the efficiency of an EV?

The Toyota emitted 31.8 kg of CO2 for the journey. ​

Comparing EV efficiency to hybrids gets interesting when you factor in the source of the electricity powering the EV.  The percentage of renewable energy in the grid can vary significantly, affecting an EV's environmental impact.

For example, in New South Wales, the grid relies on renewables for around 60% of its daytime power, but that number drops to 15% overnight.  This means:

• Overnight Charging: An EV charged overnight in NSW using the current grid mix would have a 32.4% higher carbon footprint compared to the Toyota Corolla on the same trip.
• Daytime Charging: However, charging your EV during the day, when the NSW grid utilizes more renewables, could significantly reduce its emissions. In this scenario, the EV's carbon footprint plummets to 19.8 kg, translating to 37.7% lower emissions than the Toyota Corolla.
• Solar Power: The ultimate clean winner? Charging your EV with a home solar power system brings emissions down to zero.

​The Takeaway:
As Australia transitions to 100% renewable energy, EVs will inevitably become even cleaner and more efficient over time.  Regardless of charging time, their environmental impact will steadily decrease.
In the meantime, you can maximize your EV's eco-friendliness by charging during peak renewables (10am-2pm), or better still charging from a solar system.