In recent years, electric vehicles have exploded in popularity and production. As a result of increased education, many individuals now recognize the harmful impacts of gas-powered cars on climate change, human health, and natural ecosystems.
Electric vehicles, otherwise known as EVs, slash greenhouse gas emissions, while reducing the impacts of climate change.
For these reasons, the shift from gas-powered cars to electric vehicles is growing in importance in today’s world.
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What are electric vehicles (EVs)?
Electric vehicles are automobiles that rely on electricity to generate power and do not emit greenhouse gasses.
This is possible because they emit no exhaust from a tailpipe and do not contain the typical liquid fuel components used in gas-powered cars.
There are many designs including plug-in, hybrid, and hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles–all of which work similarly.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy “All-electric vehicles… have an electric motor instead of an internal combustion engine. The vehicle uses a large traction battery pack to power the electric motor and must be plugged into a wall outlet or charging equipment.”
The lack of CO2 production or other harmful pollutants during operation makes EVs extremely popular. It helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which is an important way to help reduce the effects of climate change and makes EVs the more sustainable solution.
As we advance towards more efficient battery technologies for EVs, the adoption of its use will play an increasingly important role in efforts to create a sustainable future.
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Greenhouse Gas Emissions
With the adoption of electric vehicles, we have seen the physical impacts of reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
A study conducted by the University of Southern California compared the data on total ZEV (zero emission vehicle) registration, air pollution levels, and asthma-related emergency room visits across the state of California between 2013 and 2019.
The data they found revealed that, “As ZEV adoption increased within a given zip code, local air pollution levels and emergency room visits dropped.”
This means that as more California residents bought and used electric vehicles, air pollution levels and emergency room visits (caused by greenhouse gas and VOC emissions) decreased significantly.
Furthermore, there will be a reduction in the negative impacts of climate change, like increased global temperatures and rising sea levels. This can occur as more communities locally and internationally adopt electric vehicles as their form of transportation.
Environmental Concerns
While electric vehicles have their benefits, critics of electric-powered vehicles have concerns about the environmental impacts of EVs, such as battery production and disposal.
The batteries themselves are made with rare, expensive, and sometimes even toxic materials.
For example, the mining of materials like lithium, cobalt, and nickel for EV batteries can contaminate groundwater supplies through groundwater leaching.
Additionally, if an EV battery gets thrown in a landfill, EV battery cells can release toxins like heavy metals that can cause unwanted forms of combustion such as fires and explosions.
This year, an incident with an electric vehicle highlights some critical safety concerns associated with EV batteries.
According to apnews.com, “California firefighters had to douse a flaming battery in a Tesla Semi with about 50,000 gallons (190,000 liters) of water to extinguish flames after a crash.”
This incident is evidence that lithium-ion batteries can pose unique hazards (like in this accident) which can shape public perception about the risks and safety of electric vehicles as a whole.
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The Better Option
EV batteries are still better options than what we see in internal combustion engines, despite the emissions created during production.
The Environmental Protection Agency says, “The greenhouse gas emissions associated with an electric vehicle over its lifetime are typically lower than those from an average gasoline-powered vehicle, even when accounting for manufacturing.”
Even though the process and rate of EV battery recycling currently face some challenges, research is on the way to improve them.
As these advancements in battery recycling are experiencing technological progress, the environmental impact of EVs will further diminish, and their role as a cleaner alternative to traditional gasoline-powered vehicles will be seen with more clarity.
Final Thoughts
The shift in consumption of electric vehicles is crucial to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions and to combat climate change.
Despite concerns about battery production and disposal, the environmental benefits of EVs outweigh the drawbacks that are posed to us by the continued use of “traditional” gas-powered vehicles.
As a collective, we need to make the switch to EVs in order to better the environment and support our future generations.
