Electric cars have no exhaust fumes and emit very few gaseous pollutants.
However, research has shown that electric cars may produce the same amount or even more PM10 and PM2.5 when compared to conventional cars.
The reason for the increased particulate pollution is because electric cars are typically heavier than conventional motor cars. The additional weight of electric cars means there is more friction between the tyres and the roads. This causes more tyre wear and road abrasion, creating more particulate pollution. Also, the heavier weight of electric cars means more braking friction is needed to slow down electric cars. This in turn increases brake pad wear and produces more particulate pollution.
Read more: what types of pollution do conventional cars produce »
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