From the Scientific Community of Baghdad to a More Sustainable Future – Electric vehicles (EVs) are transforming modern transportation, but their environmental footprint extends far beyond the absence of exhaust emissions. A comprehensive life-cycle assessment (LCA), spanning raw-material extraction, battery manufacturing, electricity generation, vehicle operation and end-of-life management, reveals both environmental benefits and hidden challenges. Mining and processing battery materials, including lithium, nickel and cobalt in certain battery chemistries, can contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, water stress and ecosystem disturbance. Electricity generated from fossil fuels creates additional indirect emissions, while tyre abrasion releases particulate matter and microplastics, even from zero-tailpipe-emission vehicles. Improper battery disposal also presents environmental and safety risks, highlighting the importance of responsible recycling and resource recovery. Nevertheless, the International Energy Agency’s 2026 analysis estimates that a typical medium-sized battery electric car can generate more than 55% fewer life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions than a comparable gasoline car under its stated policy assumptions. The challenge, therefore, is not simply to replace combustion engines, but to examine the whole picture—from cradle to grave—and advance cleaner electricity, sustainable battery production, circular-economy practices and scientifically informed transport solutions.
