A team of psychologists and an economist from the University of Turku in Finland has found that the typical electric vehicle (EV) owner, being wealthier than average, still has a higher-than-average carbon footprint.

For their study, the researchers analyzed survey data from thousands of Finnish adults, asking about their lifestyle choices, car use, environmental attitudes, and views on EVs.

As global warming worsens due to human-made greenhouse gas emissions, some industries have made changes to reduce their environmental impact. The automotive industry has responded by developing electric vehicles, which produce no direct emissions while being driven. Despite this, most cars on the road still rely on gasoline, a major source of greenhouse gases.

Size of impact

The study aimed to determine whether EV drivers actually have a smaller carbon footprint than those who drive gasoline-powered cars. To do so, the researchers examined responses from the CLIMATE NUDGE survey, which was distributed to a broad group of Finnish adults in 2022. They analyzed 3,857 completed responses.

What they found is that EV buyers tend to be wealthier, better educated, and drive more miles per year than the average person. And while EVs themselves are emissions-free while in use, the researchers found that the average EV owner still has a larger carbon footprint than those who don’t drive them.

The reason, they explain, is that wealthier individuals typically have higher carbon footprints overall. They use more electricity (often generated by coal), consume more goods (which require energy-intensive production), and travel more, which all contribute to higher emissions.

In the end, the researchers concluded that owning an EV doesn’t fully offset the larger carbon footprint that tends to come with higher wealth.