The LCA comparing electric, diesel-powered, petrol-powered and natural gas-powered passenger cars in the class of a VW Golf conducted in 2014 was updated with current data and extended by hybrid and plug-in hybrid passenger cars. The assessment considers the manufacturing of the car and essential components such as the battery for the electric car, fuel and electricity supply, driving emissions as well as construction, maintenance and disposal of road infrastructure.

The greenhouse gas emissions of electric passenger cars powered with the Swiss electricity supply mix are lower compared to the other cars investigated (107 g/pkm vs. 132-211 g/pkm). With regard to the non-renewable cumulative energy demand the difference between electric and other passenger cars is lower, whereby hybrid and plug-in hybrid cars have a slightly lower non-renewable cumulative energy demand compared to electric passenger cars. The overall environmental burdens assessed with the ecological scarcity method 2013 are higher for the electric car compared to natural gas- and petrol-powered as well as hybrid and plug-in hybrid passenger cars but substantially lower compared to diesel-powered car.

The electricity mix used for charging as well as the life time of the battery and the underlying data for its manufacturing strongly influence the environmental impacts of electric passenger cars. To reduce the environmental impacts of electric passenger cars, batteries should be charged with (mostly) renewable electricity mixes.