What Percentage of Carbon Emissions Come From Cars?
Transport remains one of the UK's largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions. The latest Department for Transport figures show that domestic transport accounted for 30% of UK greenhouse gas emissions in 2024 (Department for Transport – Transport and environment statistics 2024 published July 2026), with road vehicles responsible for the majority of transport emissions.
Cars are a major part of that picture. In the latest detailed breakdown by vehicle type, cars and taxis produced 60.2 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent in 2023, accounting for 54% of domestic transport emissions (Department for Transport- Greenhouse gas emissions from transport in 2023 published April 2025). Road transport as a whole was responsible for 89%.
That helps explain why reducing emissions from cars has become such an important part of the move towards electric vehicles. However, assessing the environmental impact of a car involves more than simply looking at what comes out of its exhaust.
How Much CO₂ Does UK Transport Produce?
UK transport emissions at a glance
30% of UK domestic greenhouse gas emissions came from transport in 2024.
89% of domestic transport emissions came from road vehicles in the detailed 2023 breakdown.
54% of domestic transport emissions came from cars and taxis.
60.2 million tonnes CO₂e were produced by cars and taxis during 2023.
(As of latest 2025/2026 reports by the UK Department for Transport).
Are Car Emissions Falling?
There has been progress. Cars and taxis produced 72.3 MtCO₂e in 1990 compared with 60.2 MtCO₂e in 2023, despite the enormous role cars continue to play in UK transport.
And domestic transport emissions overall remain below pre-pandemic levels. The latest DfT release puts 2024 emissions at 110.4 MtCO₂e, around 10% below 2019 levels.
But transport remains a major contributor to UK emissions, which is why vehicle efficiency and electrification continue to matter.
Where Do a Petrol or Diesel Car's Emissions Come From?
There are two broad stages.
Manufacturing and the production of:
Steel
Aluminium
Plastics
Electronics
Tyres
Components
Assembling and transporting the vehicle also creates a carbon footprint.
Driving
A petrol or diesel vehicle then produces CO₂ whenever fuel is burned, which is the crucial difference with an EV. A combustion vehicle continues adding direct exhaust emissions throughout its working life. See our guide on CO₂ and why it is important.
Do Electric Cars Produce Carbon Emissions?
Yes — but not from the exhaust.
Battery electric cars produce zero exhaust emissions, but describing them simply as "zero-emission cars" can disguise the wider environmental picture.
EVs still have a carbon footprint associated with:
Raw material extraction
Battery production
Vehicle manufacturing
Transporting vehicles for sale
Electricity generation
End-of-life processing
EVs therefore produce emissions in their lifecycle, but the critical question is how they compare with petrol or diesel cars overall.
What About the Environmental Cost of EV Batteries?
EV batteries require materials including lithium, nickel, cobalt and graphite. Extracting and processing those materials requires energy and can create environmental and social impacts depending on where and how they're sourced.
Manufacturing a battery also means that an electric vehicle can begin its life with a larger manufacturing carbon footprint than an equivalent combustion-engine car.
When people talk about the "hidden EV cost", this is usually what they're referring to. However, manufacturing is only part of the vehicle's lifecycle.
Are EVs Really Greener Than Petrol Cars?
The evidence says yes when emissions are considered across the vehicle's lifecycle, although the scale of the advantage varies according to factors such as vehicle size, battery size, where it was manufactured and the electricity used to charge it.
The International Energy Agency's lifecycle methodology considers emissions from raw materials and mining, vehicle production and use, rather than comparing exhaust emissions alone.
That distinction matters because an EV's relatively high battery-manufacturing emissions occur predominantly before it reaches the road. Once being driven, it doesn't continually burn petrol or diesel, and its lifetime advantage can increase where the electricity used for charging comes from lower-carbon sources.
The IEA have an interactive calculation tool which allows users to alter vehicle size, powertrain, fuel economy and region to calculate your vehicle's life cycle emissions.
Does the Electricity Used to Charge an EV Matter?
Yes. An EV charged using electricity generated predominantly from renewable or low-carbon sources has lower operating emissions than one charged from an electricity grid heavily dependent on fossil fuels.
That's also why lifecycle emissions aren't a single universal number. They depend on:
Where the car is driven
How electricity is generated
Vehicle efficiency
Battery capacity
Annual mileage
How long the vehicle remains in use
As electricity generation becomes less carbon intensive, the emissions associated with operating EVs can fall further without anything about the vehicle itself changing.
EV, Plug-in Hybrid or Petrol: What's the Difference?
Battery EV | Plug-in Hybrid | Petrol/Diesel | |
Exhaust pipe CO₂ | None | None during electric-only driving | Yes |
Battery manufacturing | Higher | Moderate | Lower |
Fuel combustion | None | When the engine operates | Throughout use |
Charging required | Yes | Yes, for maximum benefit | No |
Lifecycle emissions | Generally lowest | Depends heavily on usage | Generally highest |
PHEVs deserve the caveat that their benefit depends significantly on actually charging and using the electric capability.
Explore Electric Car leasing deals or Plug-in Hybrid leasing deals
What Can Drivers Do to Reduce Their Motoring Emissions?
Options include:
Driving fewer unnecessary journeys
Choosing a more efficient vehicle
Maintaining correct tyre pressures
Driving smoothly and efficiently
Switching to an EV where it suits their needs
See our guide on driving EVs efficiently for more tips and advice.
Is an Electric Car Right for You?
Electric vehicles won't suit every driver in exactly the same way. Annual mileage, access to home or workplace charging, journey length, budget and vehicle requirements should all influence the decision.
For drivers who aren't ready to move completely away from petrol, a plug-in hybrid can provide an intermediate option, combining an electric driving range with a combustion engine for longer journeys.
Leasing can also allow drivers to adopt newer EV technology without making the long-term commitment involved in purchasing the vehicle outright. Talk to our friendly sales team to discuss your options, or browse our latest EV car and PHEV lease deals.