“Unhelpful” comments from Environment Secretary George Eustice that electric cars may not be as green as people think have been slammed by the RAC, which is working to set the record straight.

The RAC said there are far too many negative myths surrounding electric cars which need to be busted as soon as possible in order to speed up the electric revolution

Speaking last month to MPs on the Commons’ environment, food and rural affairs committee, Eustice said that fine particulate matter, which is known as PM2.5 and contributes to tens of thousands of deaths each year, may be worse with electric cars due to them being heavier. The comments were also published in the Daily Mail.

In response, the RAC, which is working to speed up the electric revolution, commissioned leading battery electrochemist Dr Euan McTurk to address the remarks.

Eustice told the committee: “The unknown thing at the moment is how far switching from diesel and petrol to electric vehicles will get us. There is scepticism. Some say that just wear and tear on the roads and the fact that these vehicles are heavier means that the gains may be less than some people hope, but it is slightly unknown at the moment.”

But based on real-world use, Dr McTurk’s findings show that EVs’ brakes wear far more slowly than conventional cars, while tyre wear is similar for the non-driven wheels and only slightly worse for driven wheels.

In his report for the RAC, Dr McTurk states that most of the braking in electric cars is done via regenerative braking where the electric motor works in reverse, converting kinetic energy from the moving vehicle into electricity to charge the battery when slowing down. This not only reduces the use of the mechanical brake discs and pads but adds more range to the vehicle too.

Dr McTurk added: “Dundee Taxi Rentals says that brake pads on its 11 Nissan Leaf taxis have a lifespan of 80-100,000 miles – four times that of their diesel taxis. Discs tend to be changed due to warping rather than wear unlike a conventionally fuelled vehicle, and last twice as long as those on diesel taxis.

“In addition, Cleevely EV, one of the best-known EV mechanics in the UK based in Cheltenham, regularly sees EVs with brakes that have lasted over 100,000 miles. The company says if they ever need to replace an EV’s brakes, it’s not because of wear but because they’ve seized up due to lack of use.”

To add to the argument, the Volkswagen Group has taken the decision for its EVs built on its new universal platform to switch from rear brake discs, which are exposed to the elements to dissipate the heat from repeated braking, to enclosed rear brake drums as heat build-up is not an issue. As the brakes are enclosed any particulates are captured rather than released in the atmosphere.

The RAC’s report also addressed the issue of tyre wear, which is another source of particulate matter pollution from any vehicle.

Dr McTurk disputes the widely quoted research carried out by Emissions Analytics (EA) in 2020 which concluded pollution from tyres is 1,000 times higher than a car’s exhaust emissions.

He said: “An Emissions Analytics 2020 press release stated that a car they tested shed 9.28 grams of particulate matter per mile from its tyres. However, it turns out that this was a worst-case scenario featuring the cheapest tyres, heavy ballast in the car and driving at high speeds with much cornering. This point which wasn’t made clear in the press release, which was subsequently reported extensively in the media.

“A typical family car tyre weighs around 9kg, giving a total weight of 36kg. If a car shed that much particulate matter its tyres would physically disappear in less than 4,000 miles and the car would be running on its alloys.

“In reality, tread represents about 35% of a tyre’s total weight, so the tyres would be bald in less than 1,358 miles, or two months’ of driving for the average UK driver.”

He also cited real-world EV usage that shows such vehicles don’t get through tyres as fast as some claim due to their weight. British Gas, which currently operates 800 pure electric vans, reports that its latest large, heavy electric vans have done 15,000 miles and have not yet needed replacement tyres.

Dr McTurk added: “Additionally, many tyre manufacturers are developing special tyres for electric vehicles, which provide greater efficiency and less wear without sacrificing grip. This includes big name tyre brands and new companies, like Enso, that have been set up specifically to tackle pollution from tyres.

“As for the weight issue, modern electric vehicles aren’t actually that much heavier than petrol or diesel cars, especially with the recent trend towards bigger and heavier SUVs, and as battery technology improves, they will become lighter without compromising range.”

The RAC has published the research by Dr McTurk as it looks to counter any impact on EV take-up from misinformation.

EV spokesperson Simon Williams said: “There are far too many negative myths surrounding electric cars which need to be busted as soon as possible in order to speed up the electric revolution. We hope these positive real-world experiences will help to clear up some of the confusion.”

His comments have been echoed by automotive journalist and electric car ambassador Quentin Willson who has recently spearheaded the FairCharge campaign, which is being backed by the RAC.

Willson said: “When the Secretary of State for the Environment gets facts about electric cars wrong, it tells us we badly need a reliable, independent, source of factually accurate information for consumers. The RAC and FairCharge want to make sure that British consumers aren’t being put off buying an electric car by the moonshine, myths and misinformation being propagated by vested interests.”