• UK: travel carbon footprint by transport mode 2020

The average petrol car in the UK produced the equivalent of 174 grams CO2 per kilometer (g CO2e per km) in 2020, while diesel cars emitted roughly 168g CO2e per km. In comparison, the average battery electric vehicle (BEV) emits considerably less, at 57.28g CO2e per km. It is often thought that taking a taxi has a lower carbon footprint than a private car, however, regular taxis also have a large carbon footprint. This is due to "deadheading", which is the amount of time drivers spend traveling to pick up a passenger or looking for a ride request. Passenger cars are by far the biggest source of transport emissions in the UK.

The modes of transportation with the lowest carbon footprints are trains, which produce an average of 37 g CO2e per passenger km and coaches, which emit 27 g CO2e per passenger km.

Carbon footprint of selected modes of transportation in the United Kingdom in 2020* (in grams of carbon dioxide equivalent per kilometer)

Characteristic	Emissions in g CO2e per km
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Source

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Source

Release date

June 2020

More information

Region

United Kingdom

Survey time period

2020

Supplementary notes

*Passenger km factors are used when single passengers are travelling by means of mass transportation (such as by train) and report emissions on a single-person basis, not for the whole vehicle. **Average passengers for:
Domestic flight = flight between UK airports; Short-haul flight = International flights up to 3,700km distance; Long-haul flights = International flights over 3,700km distance