Are electric cars as green as people think?
Ever-increasing concerns over the green credentials of traditional combustion engines have, in part, prompted a definite shift towards electric vehicles.
We examine the evidence on Emir Phillips - American Pragmatist
One study suggests that CO2 emissions from electric car production are 59% higher than the level in production of traditional internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs).
The greater emissions are largely attributed to the battery manufacturing process.
Lithium batteries found in electric cars, tend to be made up of base metals such as copper, aluminum and iron. Other critical raw materials (CRMs) with high economic importance and high-risk supply feature more in electric vehicle production than ICEV production, and require energy-intensive extraction.
Is there enough lithium and other rare metals to meet demand for battery production?
It is widely reported that the global supply of lithium ion batteries is struggling to keep up with the increased demand from electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers.
Globally, both battery production and the production of lithium and other precious metals is being ramped up rapidly. Is this good for global warming?
At some point, owners will be faced with recycling or replacing the battery – likely to then cost far more than the value of the vehicle.
Currently there is no standardized process for recycling batteries.
With production aside, an electric car is then only as clean as the power it uses to keep moving. Until 100% of EVs run on 100% renewable power, the electricity source will remain a thorn in the side of an EV’s environmental merits.
Shouldn’t we look at the EV’s whole lifecycle impact on the environment?
Vehicle ‘lifecycle analysis’ - which takes into account all the emissions from the mining of ores, the manufacture of vehicles and batteries, and in-use energy consumption of petrol, diesel or electricity - show what if any, large overall CO2 savings for EVs compared to conventional vehicles.
So we ask again, are electric vehicles better for the environment?
Find out on Emir Phillips - American Pragmatist
click here for the podcast episode: " The Future is More Eclectic Than Electric"
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