In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at the CO2 emissions from a round trip between Copenhagen and Nice, comparing travel by an electric car (Audi Q8 e-tron) with two passengers to flying the same route. The difference in emissions is then contextualized by comparing it to everyday activities in Europe, which helps to illustrate the real-world impact of different travel choices.
Emissions Summary (Round Trip)
When comparing the CO2 emissions of the two transport options, the numbers tell an important story. The electric car offers a far more eco-friendly alternative, especially when traveling with two people. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the emissions:
- Electric Car (Audi Q8 e-tron, 2 passengers):
A round trip from Copenhagen to Nice covers approximately 2,600 kilometers. The Audi Q8 e-tron consumes around 24.5 kWh per 100 kilometers. Given the average CO2 emissions from electricity production in Europe at 233 grams per kWh, the total emissions per person for the round trip would be 106.25 kg CO2.
Source: Audi specifications and European Environment Agency. - Airplane:
For a typical commercial flight between Copenhagen and Nice, the CO2 emissions per person are approximately 245 kg CO2 for a one-way flight. Thus, for a round trip, this amounts to about 490 kg CO2 per person.
Source: International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT). - Difference:
By choosing to drive an electric car instead of flying, you would save approximately 383.75 kg CO2 per person for the round trip. This number becomes even more significant when considering two passengers, doubling the savings in emissions.
Visualizing the Impact: Everyday Life Comparisons in Europe
While 383.75 kg CO2 might sound like just another number, putting it in the context of everyday activities can make it easier to understand the real-world implications. To give you an idea of what this means, here are 10 everyday activities that emit a similar amount of CO2:
- Driving a Petrol Car
To match the emissions saved by driving an electric car instead of flying, you would have to drive a typical petrol car (emitting around 0.18 kg CO2 per kilometer) for about 2,132 kilometers. That’s the equivalent of driving from Copenhagen to Paris!
Source: European Environment Agency. - Household Electricity Usage
The CO2 savings from choosing the electric car over the flight are roughly the same as the electricity consumption of the average household in the EU for about 53 days. On average, a household in Europe emits 7.23 kg of CO2 per day from electricity usage. This means that the savings from just one trip could power a home for almost two months!
Source: Eurostat. - Heating with Natural Gas
Home heating is another activity that has a significant carbon footprint. Using natural gas to heat your home emits around 2.15 kg of CO2 per cubic meter. The 383.75 kg CO2 savings would equal the emissions produced by using about 178 cubic meters of gas, enough to heat a typical European home for roughly 1.5 months during the winter.
Source: European Commission. - Watching TV
Imagine sitting down to watch your favorite show on a 42-inch LED TV. Over a period of 3 hours, the TV would produce 0.06 kg of CO2. To reach the 383.75 kg CO2 saved by using an electric car instead of flying, you would need to watch TV for approximately 2,132 days, or nearly 6 years!
Source: Carbon Trust. - Taking Showers
For many people, taking a hot shower is a daily ritual. However, running a 4 kW water heater for a 10-minute shower produces around 0.26 kg of CO2. You would need to take about 1,476 showers to match the CO2 savings of choosing the electric car for this trip.
Source: European Commission. - Using a Laptop
Working on a laptop is a relatively low-emission activity, but it adds up over time. A laptop emits about 0.02 kg of CO2 per hour of use. To match the emissions savings, you would have to use a laptop for roughly 19,188 hours, or about 6.6 years if used 8 hours a day.
Source: Energy Saving Trust. - Refrigerator Usage
Running an average refrigerator in Europe consumes about 300 kWh per year, resulting in approximately 70 kg of CO2 emissions annually. The 383.75 kg CO2 saved by the electric car journey could power your refrigerator for about 5.5 years!
Source: European Commission. - Doing Laundry
A typical washing machine emits about 0.6 kg of CO2 per load. To match the emissions saved from your electric road trip, you’d need to do around 640 loads of laundry, which is a couple of years’ worth of washing for many families.
Source: European Commission. - Using a Dishwasher
If you run your dishwasher once a day, it emits around 1.25 kg of CO2 per load. You would need to run it for 307 cycles to reach the 383.75 kg CO2 saved by driving the electric car instead of flying. That’s nearly a year’s worth of dishwashing!
Source: European Commission. - Drinking Coffee
Brewing a cup of coffee creates about 0.03 kg of CO2. The emissions saved by choosing an electric car for this trip are equivalent to brewing about 12,792 cups of coffee. That’s a lot of caffeine!
Source: BBC.
Conclusion
These examples highlight how a single choice—driving an electric car instead of flying—can have a profound impact on reducing CO2 emissions. By putting these numbers into relatable, everyday contexts, it becomes clear that our travel choices play a major role in mitigating climate change.
