Understanding Electric Vehicles and their Carbon Emissions – An article by Young ChangeMaker Siddharth
Allow me to introduce you to Siddharth Chowdary (Grade 11, Gopalan International School) , a brilliant student who has made it his mission to advocate for climate ambition and sustainability. In his project, Siddharth has explored the impact of electric vehicles on the environment and written an article on their future, analysing their advantages and disadvantages.
Siddharth’s article provides a comprehensive analysis of the pros and cons of electric vehicles, his research highlights the environmental benefits of electric vehicles, such as reduced emissions and noise pollution, as well as their potential to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.
At the same time, Siddharth acknowledges the challenges that come with the adoption of electric vehicles, such as the high cost of purchase and maintenance, limited range, and the need for an extensive charging network. His article offers insights into how policymakers, automakers, and consumers can work together to address these challenges and accelerate the transition towards sustainable mobility. Read his article below.
Climate change has been a headline-grabbing issue for several years now. With many countries taking it seriously and implementing policy changes to tackle the issue, there is a sense of urgency to take steps both individually and at a policy level to address climate change. Extreme weather phenomena, typhoons, and cold snaps have become more common, with summers becoming hotter and winters colder, in the beginning of 2020. Such negative effects will worsen if the use of fossil fuels is not stopped since they are by far the largest source of carbon emissions worldwide.
At the same time, we need energy to keep modern life and civilisation functioning. Humanity has spent the last two centuries relying on fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas, and petroleum to power industrial civilisation. Even today, they are by far the largest source of primary energy for the vast majority of countries across the globe. Adapting two centuries’ worth of infrastructure and technological advancements to run on different sources of energy is a challenging undertaking but a necessary one. One of the largest consumers of energy is transportation, accounting for 25% of energy consumption globally. The vast majority of this energy is provided in the form of fossil fuels, particularly petroleum derivatives such as petrol and diesel. Passenger transport in the form of cars, buses, motorbikes, and so on account for the largest share of energy consumed for transportation, more than freight, marine, and rail transportation combined.
The best way to decarbonize the transportation industry is to electrify it. Electricity can be generated using low-emission or no-emission sources such as wind, solar, and nuclear power. Currently, it is feasible to electrify land-based vehicles used to transport passengers and, in some cases, cargo. This can have huge implications for climate change and the environment.
Research Objectives
The objectives of this research article are:
- To understand the percentage of electric vehicles on roads and analyzing if the percentage is showing an increasing trend or a decreasing trend
- To explore if there is any difference in terms of carbon emissions when using electric vehicles as compared to traditional automotive
- To understand the implication of the adoption of electric vehicles on the environment and climate
Research Methodology
This research article used secondary research from authentic sources in order to answer the research objectives.
Current distribution and the future adoption of electric vehicles (EVs)
Electric vehicles were something most people had not heard of a few years ago, but that number has been increasing over the years. 6.6 million electric vehicles, including hybrids, were sold in the year 2021, roughly 9% of all car sales that year, double the amount sold the previous year. These do not include other electrified passenger vehicles such as buses, scooters, motorbikes, and autorickshaws which have shown greater prevalence in the market as the price of lithium-ion batteries continues to drop. Several regulatory policies have been implemented in many countries to help encourage the production of electric vehicles, yet the adoption of such vehicles is still in the early stages. China, Europe, and the US have the most registered electric vehicles on their roads.
A major hurdle faced by EVs is their higher initial cost as compared to petrol and diesel vehicles. As of 2021, the average EV was priced $10,000 higher than non-electric vehicles. Although they have higher initial costs, maintenance and fuel costs for an EV are lower than vehicles that run on petrol. Electricity is cheaper than petrol and EVs have lower maintenance costs.
A disadvantage for EVs, however, is the amount of time it takes for the vehicle to recharge. An EV will take several hours to recharge its batteries whereas petrol and diesel vehicles can be refilled in a matter of minutes. Additionally, the range of an EV can be affected by things such as the climate and temperature and there is a lack of accessible charging stations which is currently a problem especially in developing countries. If sufficient infrastructure is set up for EVs, it is likely that adoption rates will increase.
Reduction in carbon emissions due to EVs
Nearly all the carbon emissions from EVs come from building and charging the vehicle. It is difficult to find a comparison in which EVs are worse than petrol and diesel vehicles. EVs are said to create fewer carbon emissions over their lifetime than petrol and diesel vehicles under nearly any circumstances which in turn makes them much better for the environment than petrol and diesel vehicles.
The production of the batteries required for EVs, however, is a major source of emissions. Data tells us that EVs can produce around 80% more carbon dioxide during their production than a comparable traditional petrol or diesel vehicle. In general, the region of manufacture matters as well. Batteries produced in Asia tend to have higher carbon emissions than those produced in Europe or North America, as Asian countries use a larger percentage of coal in their electricity grid. Shifting battery production from countries with carbon-intensive grids to those that use more renewable energy will lower carbon emissions from EV production.
Regardless, the majority of a vehicle’s carbon emissions are due to lifetime use. The carbon emissions generated by EVs during their use depend greatly on the source of the electricity used to charge them. EVs in countries such as France or Switzerland produce little to no carbon emissions whereas in other countries, EVs generate slightly less or roughly equal amounts of carbon as petrol and diesel vehicles. Therefore, regardless of location, EVs will always generate fewer carbon emissions during their lifetime use than petrol and diesel vehicles. An MIT study found that when looking at comparable vehicles such as the Toyota Camry across its petrol, hybrid, and electric variants, the petrol-powered variants emitted 350g of CO2 per mile driven, the hybrid emitted 260g of CO2, and the fully electric variant emitted only 200g of CO2 per mile driven. Since EVs have the same lifespan as petrol and diesel vehicles, their lifetime emissions will thus be lower than petrol and diesel vehicles.
Conclusion
The transportation sector is a major contributor to global carbon emissions. Electrification of the transportation sector can have a significant impact on reducing carbon emissions and mitigating climate change. The adoption of EVs is still in its early stages, with the majority of vehicles on the road still using petrol and diesel. However, the trend is shifting towards electrification, and more and more countries are taking steps to encourage the adoption of EVs.
The adoption of EVs can have a significant impact on reducing carbon emissions. While the production of batteries for EVs is a major source of emissions, the benefits of using EVs over their lifetime far outweigh the emissions produced during their production. Furthermore, as battery production shifts towards countries with more renewable energy sources, the emissions produced during production will continue to decrease.
Overall, the adoption of EVs is an important step towards reducing global carbon emissions. While there are still obstacles to overcome, such as the initial cost of EVs and the lack of charging infrastructure in some areas, the benefits of EVs in terms of reducing carbon emissions and mitigating climate change cannot be ignored.
Siddharth’s passion for sustainability and his analytical approach to the topic are inspiring, and his article is a thought-provoking contribution to the ongoing discourse on electric vehicles and their role in the future of mobility. We commend him on his efforts and hope he continues to question the world around him.
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