Exploring the Environmental Impacts of EVs
The environmental impacts of climate change have already proven to be catastrophic for many around the world. Could electric cars be a realistic solution to the ever-increasing problem?
While there are countless factors that may have caused the climate crisis, commercial and passenger vehicles are substantial contributors to the greenhouse gases in our atmosphere. In fact, they account for about 20% of the United States’ total emissions. The rise in greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles continues to be a problem, but one we will hopefully see solved in the coming decades.
Electric vehicles will certainly play a vital role in solving that problem. But there are hidden challenges the country is sure to face along the way. Oftentimes, electric vehicles are advertised to be the most environmentally friendly option. But, how green are electric vehicles really?
Are they actually better for the environment than traditional gas powered cars? Today we’re taking a look at the environmental impact of electric cars and how they can become even more efficient as the industry progresses.
Environmental Benefits of Electric Vehicles
The market for electric vehicles is continuously growing, which couldn’t come at a better time. According to the Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks, the U.S. transportation sector produces 30% of all U.S. global warming emissions. Luckily, experts expect 18.7 million EVs to be on the road in the United States and 145 million worldwide by 2030
Fully-electric vehicles produce zero tailpipe emissions, which results in less pollution and cleaner air, especially in heavily congested areas like Los Angeles. Even most hybrids produce significantly lower emissions than conventional vehicles powered by gasoline.
According to EDF Energy, over the course of a year, just one electric car on the road can save an average 1.5 million grams of carbon dioxide. Additionally, according to a 2016 report from A National Renewable Energy Laboratory, using plug-in electric vehicles can reduce U.S. petroleum consumption, which is extremely damaging to public health due to its high contribution to pollution.
A 2020 study by the universities of Exeter, Nijmegen and Cambridge found that in 95% of the world, driving an electric vehicle is better for the environment than conventional cars. In the study, researchers also discovered that in 2050, the expected increase in electric vehicles may reduce CO2 emissions by up to 1.5 gigatons per year.
Comparing Electric Vehicles to Gas-Powered Vehicles
Research shows that the environmental impact of electric cars has a much lower carbon footprint compared to non-electric cars. The European Energy Agency discovered that carbon emissions of an electric car are between 17-30% lower than a petrol or diesel car.
However, as of today, electric vehicles still contribute to carbon pollution due to the electricity required to charge EVs. For example, manufacturing the battery used to charge electric vehicles is a large source of carbon emissions. But even with those challenges we face today, EVs are significantly more eco-friendly than gas-powered cars in the long run. Additionally, we expect that initial carbon pollution to decrease with better, more efficient technology as the industry matures.
For example, in 2018 the Union of Concerned Scientists released a study finding the average EV produced emissions equivalent to a gasoline car that gets 80 miles per gallon. Today, that number is closer to 150 miles per gallon, something simply unattainable with traditional gas engines. It’s this kind of progress that will ultimately make this transition to sustainable energy a reality.
It is important to note that electric vehicles are only a small part in the battle against climate change. It may take years for them to reach their full potential. Still, using alternative forms of transportation as well as limiting the use of cars are necessary for improvement. Yet, over time, the environmental benefits of EVs will improve. For example, research from the University of Toronto shows that while the manufacturing of an electric vehicle may produce a large amount of carbon emissions, it takes around 20,000 miles of driving for the vehicle to offset the negative carbon emissions that were produced.
However, even that number continues to decrease as battery efficiency improves. With government sponsored programs, the US will also see an improvement in our renewable energy infrastructure. Meaning we can produce more EVs with a significantly lower carbon footprint.
Simply put: the more we fund energy research, the cleaner it will get.
A Hidden Benefit of Electric Vehicles: Noise Pollution
Electric vehicles produce little to no noise compared to a typical vehicle, which results in less noise pollution. A welcome change for anyone living in high-traffic areas.
However, noise pollution isn’t just a convenience factor; it also poses a health risk to humans, contributing to conditions such as increased stress, mental health problems, and high blood pressure. Tackling the noise pollution issue can also help improve environmental factors as high levels of noise can pose serious problems to wildlife and their ecosystems.
How Loop is Playing Its Part in the Climate Crisis
Loop’s mission is to optimize and expand the global EV charging network in order to effectively accelerate the transition to sustainable energy.
Our team works tirelessly to offer affordable and accessible charging solutions to people all over the world. But even today, range anxiety is still a concern among many drivers. One of our priorities is to make range anxiety a thing of the past.
The more Loop chargers we have on the road, the easier it will be to transition completely to fully-electric cars, the more convenient it will be for drivers, and the safer it will be for all future generations.
You can read more about our Level 2 & DC Fast chargers here or visit www.evloop.io to learn more about Loop’s efforts.
Get In The Loop Today: there’s no better time to join the fight. After all, the future is electric.
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