by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy

About the author: The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) is an organization working to promote economic prosperity and environmental protection through the advancement of energy efficiency.

Automobiles affect the environment in many ways. Impacts begin when a vehicle is manufactured (including the production of all the parts and materials that go into the car) and end with its scrappage in a junkyard (which can recycle many parts but also involves the disposal of many wastes). Over the life of an average motor vehicle, however, much of the environmental damage occurs during driving and is greatly associated with fuel consumption. . . . Nearly 90 percent [of lifecycle energy use for a typical automobile] is due to fuel consumption over the dozen or so years of a vehicle’s life.

Automobiles and the Environment