How to calculate CO₂ emissions from electric car charging — and engage your tenants in sustainability

Do you want to measure the climate performance of the property? Learn how to calculate CO2 emissions from electric car charging and communicate clear sustainability goals to your tenants.

Basic principle of CO₂ calculation

Step 1: Collect consumption data
Get the total electricity consumption from the charging stations per month (kWh). Modern charging technology gives you this data automatically.

Step 2: Use the right CO₂ factor
Multiply by the CO₂ factor of your electricity supply. Swedish electricity mix has extremely low emissions compared to international standards — often below 20 grams of CO₂ per kWh.

Step 3: Choose the counting method

• Actual emissions: Based on Swedish electricity mix, which has very low CO₂ emissions compared to international standards.
• Contract-dependent factors: The CO₂ factor may vary depending on the type of electricity contract you have — contact your electricity supplier for specific emission factors for your contract.
• Industry standard: Many companies follow established guidelines for sustainability reporting that may have specific requirements on how CO₂ emissions are to be calculated and accounted for.

Put the calculations in perspective

Compare with the alternative: An electric car charged with Swedish electricity emits 70-95% less CO₂ than the equivalent fossil car. That is the real climate benefit.

Communicate easily: “Our electric car charging enables climate-smart travel with minimal environmental impact thanks to clean Swedish electricity.”

Tips for Sustainability Reporting

• Present both absolute figures (kg CO₂) and comparisons (vs fossil cars)
• Update CO₂ factors annually — they decrease as the grid becomes cleaner
• Focus on the big picture: electric car charging is a climate solution, not a problem

Smart charging can optimize further by prioritizing when renewable electricity generation is at its highest — but the basic advantage already exists with ordinary Swedish electricity.