Though much of the electricity used to charge an electric vehicle comes from fossil fuel sources like coal, the improved efficiency of electric vehicles reduces your carbon footprint per mile driven by about 60%. From Consumer Reports: Even in West Virginia, the state with the dirtiest electric grid, an EV will reduce emissions by 20 percent. In States with cleaner grids, EVs will reduce emisions by more than 90%. It is also true that EVs take more energy to produce, but a typical EV makes up for that additional emissions from manufacturing within 6 to 18 months of driving.