Electric Cars: Cleaner Braking on 83% - Study

Electric Cars Brake Cleaner: Minus 83% of Harmful Emissions

A new study by the European organisation EIT Urban Mobility and Transport for London has found that electric vehicles reduce brake air pollution by 83% compared to internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. The secret lies in regenerative braking, which significantly reduces brake pad wear and particulate emissions.

This is especially important because more than 40% of brake dust ends up in the air we breathe. Hybrid cars, the study notes, lag behind electric vehicles: regular hybrids reduce emissions by 10–48%, and plug-in hybrids by up to 66%. Only electric cars top the ranking for clean braking.

Why are electric cars cleaner?

Previously, critics pointed to the increased weight of electric vehicles and the associated wear on tires and roads. However, even taking this factor into account, electric cars emit 38% fewer particles than cars with internal combustion engines. When you consider the zero emissions while driving, the difference becomes even more convincing - on a per-passenger basis, electric cars are cleaner than even motorcycles.

What is the future of eco-driving?

The authors of the study emphasize that true eco-friendliness is public transport, cycling and walking. In case of using a private car, it is worth paying attention to wear-resistant brakes and tires.