Cars play an important role in everyday life, giving millions of people the freedom to travel for work, family and leisure. But road transport also contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution and congestion, particularly in busy towns and cities.
That raises an important question: should the aim simply be to make cars cleaner, or could reducing the number of journeys made by car also form part of the solution?
There isn’t one answer that works for everyone. Access to public transport, where people live, the journeys they make and their personal circumstances all affect how practical it is to use a car less. At the same time, cleaner vehicles and improvements in vehicle technology can help reduce the environmental impact of journeys that still need to be made.
In this guide, we’ll look at how cars affect the environment, whether fewer cars could benefit towns and cities, the role of electric vehicles and some practical ways drivers can reduce their impact.
If you’re considering changing to a more efficient vehicle, our Car Valuation Guidance hub can help you understand the factors that affect what your current car may be worth.
How Do Cars Affect the Environment?
Petrol and diesel cars produce carbon dioxide when fuel is burned. Road transport is therefore an important source of greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to climate change.
Vehicles can also affect local air quality. Exhaust emissions from combustion-engine vehicles can include pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, while tyre and brake wear can produce particulate pollution from both combustion-engine and electric vehicles.
The environmental impact of driving isn’t limited to what comes from the exhaust. Manufacturing vehicles, producing fuel or electricity, maintaining roads and eventually recycling or disposing of vehicles and batteries all have an environmental cost.
This means the overall impact of a car depends on more than its fuel type. How the vehicle was produced, how efficiently it operates, how far it is driven and how long it remains in use can all influence its environmental footprint.
How Do Vehicle Emissions Affect Human Health?
Air pollution from road transport can affect human health, particularly in areas with high levels of traffic. Pollutants associated with road vehicles include nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter, both of which can affect the respiratory and cardiovascular systems.
The health effects of air pollution can be particularly significant for people who already have heart or lung conditions, as well as children and older people.
Modern emissions standards and cleaner vehicle technology have helped reduce some pollutants from newer cars, while electric vehicles produce no tailpipe emissions. However, particulate pollution can still come from sources such as tyre and brake wear.
For drivers considering an electric vehicle, the environmental argument is only one part of the decision. Running costs can vary considerably depending on where and how the vehicle is charged. Our guide to electric car running costs explains this in more detail.
Could Fewer Cars Improve Cities?
Reducing car use is one approach some towns and cities use to tackle congestion, improve air quality and create more space for walking, cycling and public transport.
Measures can include better public transport, improved cycling infrastructure, pedestrian-friendly areas, cleaner vehicle zones and facilities that make it easier to combine different forms of transport.
However, reducing car use isn’t equally practical for everyone. People living in rural areas, shift workers, families and those travelling where public transport is limited may depend heavily on their cars. For many journeys, a private vehicle remains the most practical option.
The question therefore isn’t necessarily whether cars should disappear from our roads. A combination of cleaner vehicles, better alternatives to driving and reducing unnecessary car journeys could all play a part in lowering the environmental impact of transport.
Are Electric Cars the Solution?
Electric vehicles can help reduce some of the environmental impacts associated with driving. Because fully electric cars have no exhaust, they produce no tailpipe emissions while being driven, which can help reduce local air pollution from road traffic.
Their overall environmental impact, however, goes beyond what happens on the road. Manufacturing an electric vehicle — particularly its battery — requires energy and raw materials, while the emissions associated with charging depend partly on how the electricity is generated.
Even after these factors are taken into account, UK government analysis indicates that battery-electric cars typically produce substantially lower greenhouse gas emissions over their lifetime than equivalent petrol cars.
Electric vehicles aren’t therefore a complete solution to every issue associated with road transport. They still contribute to traffic and congestion, require road space and infrastructure, and produce non-exhaust emissions from sources such as tyres and brakes.
Instead, EVs can be viewed as one part of a wider transition towards lower-emission transport, alongside cleaner electricity, improved public transport and alternatives to driving where these are practical.
What Can Drivers Do to Reduce Pollution?
Most drivers don’t need to stop using their cars altogether to reduce the environmental impact of their journeys. Small changes in how a vehicle is used and maintained can make a difference over time.
Where practical, combining several errands into one journey can reduce unnecessary mileage. Walking, cycling or using public transport for suitable shorter journeys can also reduce the amount of fuel or electricity used.
Driving smoothly can help too. Heavy acceleration, unnecessary braking and higher speeds can increase energy consumption, whether a car is powered by petrol, diesel or electricity.
Keeping a vehicle properly maintained is equally important. Correct tyre pressures, regular servicing and dealing with developing mechanical problems can help a car operate efficiently and safely.
Our guide to improving your car’s MPG has more practical advice for reducing fuel consumption when driving a petrol or diesel car.
Thinking About Changing Your Car?
If you’re thinking about switching to a cleaner, more efficient or electric vehicle, knowing what your current car is worth can help you understand your options.
At jamjar, we compare offers from trusted UK car buyers so you can see what your vehicle could be worth based on current market demand.
Use our free online car valuation tool to find out what your car could be worth today.