Lifetime greenhouse gas emissions of electric vs ICE vehicle

• It takes a typical EV about one year in operation to achieve "carbon parity" with an ICE vehicle.
• If the EV draws electricity from a coal/fired grid, however, the catchup period stretches to more than five years.
• If the grid is powered by carbon/free hydroelectricity, the catchup period is about six months.

Lifetime emissions have to factor in the source of electricity used for (both making and running) the electric vehicle; if coal-fired plants are used, it takes longer for the electric vehicle to reach parity with internal combustion vehicles. But eventually, the high environmental cost of producing electric vehicles is outweighed by the lower environmental cost of running the vehicle. 

A big contributor to the energy needs in lithium battery production is reducing the humidity to <1% because lithium is so very reactive with water. 

https://youtube.com/shorts/Dkp8Wm3PtTY?si=dupUoGloosop2ao1

Graphics and quotation from  https://www.cotes.com/blog/greenhouse-gas-emissions-from-ev-vs-ice-vehicles

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-05-27/comparing-electric-cars-and-petrol-cars/103746132