Electric vehicles (EV) can play an important part in the decarbonisation of the traffic sector. This helps in climate mitigation and positively impacts the air quality of cities, due to reduced emissions such as CO2, NOx, SO2 and fine particles. In order to become an eco-friendlier product, however, increased efforts must be made to lighten the environmental and social burdens of the mining of rare earth materials, needed especially for the batteries and engines, and its production process. It must be accompanied by a shift of electricity production to renewable energy sources, while pushing for clear guidelines on re-usage and recycling of the batteries.