Monday, March 2, 2020

The True Environmental Impact of Electrical Vehicles-Ishaan Phatak

      With global warming emerging as a global crisis, policymakers and people around the world are searching for answers. When analyzing the list of what exactly is responsible for high amounts of carbon emissions, cars and trucks are towards the top. In the United States, cars and trucks account for one-fifth of all US emissions making it the largest contributor to U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. With this in mind, people often look towards electric cars to solve this problem. With Tesla leading the way and other companies following along, a future with affordable electric vehicles is looking increasingly realistic. Electric cars are often advertised to be perfectly clean and have little to no impact on the environment. While they are much more environmentally friendly than their
combustion engine counterparts, it is important to understand their true environmental impact.
Image result for electric cars
        As we watch the news, we all see the headlines that show electric cars as the future and that with no carbon emissions they are perfect for the environment. This all seems too good to be true, and when exploring exactly how electric cars are manufactured, its true environmental impact can be seen. The argument against electric cars is centered around the production of its batteries. The extraction and manipulation of the large array of rare earth metals contribute to carbon emissions. Studies conducted by ICTT have shown that Chinese EV(Electric Vehicles) battery manufacturers produce up to 60% more CO2 during fabrication than ICEV(Internal Combustion Engine Vehicle) engine production. Although the pollution of the extraction and manufacturing of EV batteries is greater than ICEV vehicles, different manufacturing processes will help decrease this pollution greatly over time. Despite producing more emissions during its manufacturing process, the lifetime pollution of electric cars is much less than that of ICEV vehicles. 
An electric car at charging station in Bergen, Norway. This Scandinavian nation has the highest use... [+] of electric cars in the world, and running on mostly hydropower they are also the cleanest.
      Personally, I believe that electric cars are the future of transportation and that the negatives of its manufacturing are completely outweighed by its positives in the long run. With little to no emissions, ICEVs are no match for electric cars. Moreover, as the production of electric vehicles becomes more mainstream, battery recycling will become more prevalent and will reduce the need to extract new materials. As companies become more efficient with the manufacturing process, EVs will be responsible for extremely low carbon emissions.
Image result for tesla model 3
       In addition to having an efficient manufacturing process in the future, electric cars will also become more affordable as well. The prices of electric cars have been decreasing by a substantial amount over the last couple of years. Because of the affordability of these cars, many people along with my family look to consider buying an electric car in the near future. Overall, it is clear that although the manufacturing of electric cars has some negative environmental impacts, its environmental benefits, in the long run, make it the future of transportation.


Questions
1. Do you think that electric vehicles are the future of transportation
2. Do you think electric cars have more negative or positive impacts on the environment?
3. Would you consider buying an electric car in the future?

Sources:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesellsmoor/2019/05/20/are-electric-vehicles-really-better-for-the-environment/

https://www.politico.com/agenda/story/2018/05/15/are-electric-cars-worse-for-the-environment-000660     

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/nov/25/are-electric-vehicles-really-so-climate-friendly

27 comments:

Anonymous said...

I do think that electric vehicles are the future of transportation. We need to reduce carbon emissions drastically, and these vehicles will be a huge step to achieve that. I think they have more positive impacts in the long run. Although the manufacturing process releases more emissions, I am glad that the process will be enhanced throughout the years to reduce the amount. I may consider buying an electric car. It all depends on the price and how much money I have. If I have a high income, I would definitely buy an electric car.

Anonymous said...

I am very confident that electric vehicles will be the future of transportation. In the past decade, we have seen the cost of electric cars come down from 100K to 30K making them more accessible to many more people. Still, the current prices prevent a large percent of the population from owning one but the basic math of how much electric cars save an individual on gas tells that when the price comes down, many more will own electric vehicles. While there are cons that are often overlooked such as the negative impact of producing the batteries of these vehicles, each and every day we step closer to making electric cars a genuinely better alternative to gasoline-powered cars. As the price continues to come farther down and the infrastructure that supports electric vehicles more widespread I am increasingly wanting to buy an electric car.

Anonymous said...

I think electric cars are very much the future of personal transportation. Just like any other major change in an industry, I believe they will start out very expensive and slowly become more affordable as they become cheaper to produce- that is exactly what happened with the traditional automobile. I do think that the environmental benefits greatly outweigh the costs, so I think making these cars is a step in the right direction towards protecting our Earth. I do envision myself buying an electric car in the future, as I believe that they will become increasingly commonplace as our generation gets older.

Anonymous said...

I do personally believe electric vehicles are the future of transportation because electric cars are more environment friendly and decrease pollution; however, it is not affordable for most people. Electric cars do not require gas, so it definitely decreases the use of fossil which helps the efficiency of non-renewable resource usage. I would consider purchasing an electric car in the future because it will save me money from paying for gas and sustain the environment at the same time, but I would need to be able to afford the car at that.

Anonymous said...

I think electric vehicles are the future of transportation. We didn't expect Tesla to be created, but sooner or later in the future, people are going to be riding just electric cars. At the beginning its going to be expensive, but as time passes the price will decrease because the future will be all about electric cars at some point. If I am rich enough in the future I can see myself buying an electric car.

Anonymous said...

I do think electric vehicles are the a step in the right direction (as not all electricity comes from renewable resources). I think as time passes the manufacturing process will become more effective and efficient and the cost of these vehicles (both economic and environmental) will go down. I think I would consider buying an electric car in the future as these cars don’t contribute to CO2 concentrations in their lifetime as normal vehicles do.

Anonymous said...

I do think that electric cars are the future of transportation. They have many more positive impacts than negative impacts in the big picture compared to gasoline and diesel vehicles. Especially, if we are able to convert most of our power plants to renewable resources, carbon emissions can be significantly cut. I plan on buying an electric car in the future. Another plus side to electric cars is that since they don’t have to take up a lot of room for a combustion engine, there is extra room for other technologies that can make the car safer to drive. It is one of the reasons why a Tesla has 2 trunks.

Anonymous said...

With electric vehicles being more affordable than gas powered vehicles, I believe that electric vehicles will be more common in the near future. In addition to being affordable, electric cars have more positive impacts on the environment than negatives because carbon emissions will be reduced drastically. Personally, I would consider buying an electric car due to the benefits it provides.

Anonymous said...

I definitely think that electric vehicles have a future of transportation because they leave minimal damage on the environment. I think electric cars have a more positive impact because they do not require the use of gas which immediately reduces the amount of co2 released in the atmosphere due to a reduction in fossil fuels. Moreover after a couple of years electric cars will be more affordable leading consumers to buy them which in turn enhances sustainability. I would consider buying an electric car in the future because in the long run it is a better option for the environment and humans.

Anonymous said...

I think that electric vehicles are the future of transportation. Companies are starting to manufacture more and more electric cars and i believe that soon the majority of cars on the road will be battery powered. I think that the negative impacts of factories producing batteries is outweighed by the long term gasoline saved by using a battery repetitively. I currently own an electric car and I feel that it has a great impact on the environment because i realize that it is an easy way for people to contribute to a better environment without putting in very much effort.

Anonymous said...

I do believe that electric vehicles is eco friendly because they create less pollution. However, they’re very expensive to make and create much more pollution to make than any other vehicles. I believe that electrical cars are beneficial for us because it’s quiet and convenient to charge it at home. But again, the side effect is that it’s not affordable for many people and uses non-renewable energy. I believe that solar vehicles are more eco friendly because it’s completely pollution free. I do think that I’m going to be using electrical vehicle because it’s convenient for me to use.

David Ahn said...

I would probably consider buying an electric car in the future if the costs are lower than an ordinary car that requires fuel, but due to the decreasing cost in electrical car prices. I think that electric cars will be the future of transportation due to its benefits toward the environment and also the economy. also it is convenient due to it only needing to be charged at home instead of going out to buy guy. It may be a faster process to put in fuel at the gas station than charging a car but I would still buy the electric car.

Anonymous said...

I believe that electric vehicles will be the future for a healthier environment. Although it is true that the battery production process for these vehicles can be environmentally damaging, research and development is ongoing in this field, and I am sure a solution will be found eventually. If these changes are made, however, I will be more than willing to purchase an electric car in the future.

Anonymous said...

I believe that electric cars will continue to grow more and more popular in the future. I hope that in the near future, they become affordable as the process of creating them becomes more efficient and productive. I think that a solution will be found for the environmental concerns regarding the battery, and then the benefits will far outweigh the cons of electric cars. In the future, I will be willing to get an electric car because I would want to reduce my carbon footprint and help the environment in any way I can.

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

I believe that electric cars are, in fact the future of transportation. This is because as the need to turn eco-friendly rises, more people will turn to "green" alternatives, like electric cars. Additionally,I do think that I will switch to an electric car in the future.

Anonymous said...

I believe that electric cars are the future for transportation. A few decades ago people had barely heard of electric cars, now they are becoming more and more common each year. Also, with the prices of electric cars decreasing, they are becoming more popular and affordable for the average family. I believe that pretty soon almost everyone will own an electric car. I think overall electric cars have more positive impacts on the environment. While there are some negatives to them-such as the immense amount of carbon emitted during production- there are much more positives. Electric cars do not emit much carbon in the atmosphere when running and operating, so it will help reduce global warming, especially because driving is something everyone does these days. In addition, the negatives such as harmful production of these cars will eventually fade out as technology gets better and companies learn how to make electric cars more efficiently. I would definitely consider buying an electric car in the future. Not only do they help the environment but they are also efficient because you do not have to use gasoline. This also helps the environment because we will not be using as many fossil fuels to create gasoline. When I grow up I definitely want to have at least one electric car because I believe it will benefit myself and others.

Anonymous said...

I believe that there is nothing in this world that his one hundred percent positive or one hundred percent negative. Electric cars, for example have their positive and negative aspects. But I believe that electric cars have a certain amount of positive aspects that they outweigh the negatives. Cars and pretty much any form of transportation have been a huge stimulator in mostly big city’s ecological footprint. Transportation is one of the main factores in dangerous gas emissions which can lead to global warming, climate change, and many other dangerous and complicated situations. But by replacing the polluting cars with much environmentally friendlier cars that have almost zero green house gas emission, it would take out a huge part of the world’s pollution crisis. It would also eliminate the need for gasoline which is a fossil fuel which also harms the environment. And with tons of gasoline being produced every day, it is destroying the earth more and more. That’s why I hope I buy an electric car in the future, along with everyone else so hopefully one day electric vehicles will be the only means of transportation.

Anonymous said...

I think once all the kinks are worked out, electric cars have the potential to be the leading form of transportation in the future. I feel like right now they probably have equally many positives than negatives but in the future they could have more positives. I think maybe I’ll buy one someday if I can afford i8t and if it actually helps the environment a lot.

Anonymous said...

I believe that electric vehicles are the future of transportation because people will not need to go to gas station. They can just charge at their own homes. Electric cars have a positive effect in the environment because they do not give off carbon emissions. I personally own a Tesla which is a fully electric car, and it is very convenient to have a fully charged battery in the morning. I do not have to go to a set place to fill up on “gas”. Electric cars are a step in the right direction.

Anonymous said...

We are currently in what I believe to be the transition period where many consumers are first making the step in purchasing and using only electric vehicles. To clarify, many families are purchasing hybrids and electric vehicles due to the dramatic decrease in price that can be observed over the past five to ten years. Since the release of the first tesla to the now, model 3, targeted to middle-income consumers, the purchase of EV has become more accessible and affordable. I believe that electric vehicles have a negative impact on our environment due to the process of manufacturing the batteries, however, I believe that the pros of not releasing emissions after manufactury outweighs the cons of the constantly polluting gas vehicle. My family already owns an electric vehicle and plans on purchasing another one in the foreseeable future. So, if this trend continues I can see myself purchasing an electric vehicle in my future.

Anonymous said...

I think that electrical vehicles are the future of transportation because we have to think of new ways to adapt to the decline in many fossil fuels, such as oil which is used for normal cars. Electrical cars can be charged through solar power which is a renewable resource which is going to be around for a long time in the future, so therefore, electric cars can be the future of transportation. I think electric cars have a more positive impact on the environment because they reduce the amount of fossil fuels that we are taking out of the environment, which is a very harmful process. Electrical cars that can be powered by solar energy will actually help the environment and will save many resources and habitats that are disappearing due to the extraction of resources. I would highly consider buying an electric car in the future because at the rate that we are consuming fossil fuels for normal cars, we will run out of these resources very soon and will not be able to use normal cars. If I can stop myself from partaking in the extraction of fossil fuels, then I can help the overall environment while still having a car that is desirable and practical.

Anonymous said...

I think electric vehicles are a great idea for the future. Gas prices continue to go up and we are constantly harming the planet by using it. Something that bothers me is that even when it’s night here and a lot less people are driving, somewhere else on earth it’s daytime, so CO2 is constantly being put into the atmosphere every second of the day. I can imagine the the pricing of these cars will slowly decrease in price and become a more normal option of transportation.

Anonymous said...

I do think that after a long history of the world using gas powered cars electric cars will be the future. They are quickly growing and more people are buying them everyday. I think in the long run electric cars have a more positive impact on the environment. Although their manufacturing may lead to pollution they are not polluting the earth as they are driven which gas powered cars do. I would consider buying a electric car in the future but I do think they need to be cheaper for more people to buy them.

Anonymous said...

I think that electric cars will become the future of transportation due to their rising popularity and low carbon emission levels. While the process of producing electric cars do have negative impacts on the environment over time they prove to be an overall positive force for the environment due to them not constantly emitting CO2 like gasoline powered cars, meaning that in the long run the lack of carbon emissions will exceed the negative effects its creation caused. I think I will purchase an electric vehicle once I am able to afford one.

Anonymous said...

I believe by all means that electric cars are the future of personal and mass transportation. I see people like Elon Musk developing fully electric buses so that our entire infrastructure can be electronically based. I think they have great positive benefits on the environment, in essence, due to the fact they release little to any carbon. Furthermore, with this clean energy, we can shift our energy sector into more sustainable practices like solar or wind power. I definitely would consider buying an electric car like a Tesla, my dad and I have discussed and this option is always available.

Anonymous said...

Personally I do believe that electric vehicles are the future of transportation. Now, let me back my claim. Not only have electric cars specifically become more affordable for everyone but they have been advertised far more and are made more frequently. Also, I do believe that I may purchase an electric car in the future.

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