Not Completely “emission-free”… Shocking Facts About Electric Cars

Researchers from Duke University used a comprehensive model to analyze the impact of cars on the climate, including emissions from fuel production, battery manufacturing, and vehicle assembly and operation. They found that during their first two years of operation, battery-powered electric vehicles produce 30% higher CO2 emissions than conventional cars.

This is partly due to the extraction of lithium used in batteries, which takes place in countries such as Australia, Chile and China, and consumes large amounts of energy and water, and may cause environmental pollution if not done safely. Manufacturing batteries also requires additional energy consumption, which increases emissions during the production stage.

“Lithium mining and battery manufacturing contribute about 50% of the total CO2 emissions per vehicle in the first year,” said Dr. Pankaj Sadavart, lead researcher on the study.

However, after the second year of use, electric vehicles begin to outperform gasoline and diesel cars in terms of environmental impact.

“When considering a vehicle’s lifespan of approximately 18 years, electric vehicles contribute to a significant reduction in cumulative CO2 emissions, especially when compared over the same distance traveled,” Sadavart explained.

The study also indicated that electric cars do not emit any exhaust emissions while driving, such as carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides, but they remain linked to indirect emissions during the production stages.

The researchers found that the annual environmental damage cost of an electric car is about $629, compared to about $1,605 for a gasoline or diesel car.

Additional studies have shown that electric cars produce fine particulate matter from brake pads that are more toxic than diesel car fumes, due to their greater weight, which increases “non-exhaust pollution” during braking.

Electric vehicles are not completely “zero emissions,” but they outperform conventional cars in the long run, especially when using clean electricity and factoring in the full lifespan of the vehicle. However, buyers should consider the initial environmental impact of the production process and personal driving styles.

Source: Daily Mail