Known for being efficient, practical, and environmentally friendly, many experts agree that electric vehicles (EVs) are here not just to become a valuable alternative amidst the increasing prices of petrol but also to play a crucial role in mitigating climate change.
But ultimately, how do electric vehicles compare to traditional petrol-powered cars in terms of sustainability and environmental impact?
The Environmental Impact of Driving Petrol-Powered Vehicles
Before even making it to the road, petrol-powered cars leave a high environmental footprint during the manufacturing stage because materials such as rubber, glass, steel, plastic, and paint must be produced before a new vehicle is ready for use.
While on the road, petrol vehicles have a large environmental impact, primarily because of the combustion of fossil fuels in their engines. According to December 2023 data, there are approximately 4.5 million cars registered in New Zealand. Each litre of petrol used by these vehicles contains approximately 2.31 kilogrammes of CO2 emissions. The amount of CO2 emitted per kilometre varies depending on the fuel economy of the vehicle. For instance, a car with a fuel economy of 9 litres per 100 kilometres (L/100km) could potentially emit around 207 grams of CO2 per kilometre travelled.
The higher the CO2 emissions, the more a vehicle contributes to the increase of greenhouse petrol emissions (GHGs) and air pollution, which can lead to a serious threat to the environment and human health.
The environmental impact of cars persists even after they reach the end of their lives. Toxic battery acids, plastics, and other materials used might stay in the environment and are commonly seen piled up in junkyards.
Are Electric Vehicles Better for the Environment?
Unlike conventional vehicles powered by petrol or diesel, electric cars produce little to no carbon dioxide emissions during their operation. This significant reduction in CO2 emissions helps to mitigate global warming and its associated impacts, such as rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and sea level rise. As New Zealand strives to meet its climate target and transition to net zero by 2050, the widespread adoption of electric cars is essential for achieving long-term sustainability and reducing the transportation sector’s carbon footprint.
Another major benefit of electric vehicles is their potential to help improve air quality. Without a tailpipe, electric vehicles do not produce emissions such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulate matter (PM), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), resulting in cleaner air and a reduced risk of respiratory illnesses.
Additionally, electric vehicles produce minimal noise. This enhances the quality of life for residents, particularly those living in densely populated areas where traffic noise can be a significant source of annoyance and stress.
The Environmental Footprint of Electric Vehicles
While electric vehicles are known to produce minimal to zero emissions when in use, the emissions released during their manufacturing process tend to be higher than those of conventional cars. This is because of the production of lithium-ion batteries, which are used to store and deliver energy that power electric vehicles.
Lithium-ion batteries, the most common type of electric vehicle battery, consist of two high-energy raw materials: lithium and cobalt. As the demand for electric cars continues to rise, so does the demand for lithium, leading to an increase in lithium mining operations worldwide. While experts believe that there is enough lithium supply to support the lithium-ion battery industry, what’s critical are the environmental repercussions associated with extracting this metal. Lithium mining requires a significant amount of resources and is known to have profound adverse impacts on the environment, including water pollution, soil contamination, and ecosystem poisoning.
Companies that are Shaping the Future of the Automotive Industry
For consumers, Tesla is generally the first brand that springs to mind when it comes to electric vehicles. But aside from Tesla, there are numerous other automotive companies making strides in the electric vehicle market.
General Motors, an American multinational automotive manufacturing company, stated its commitment to make its cars and light trucks electric by 2035. The Volkswagen Group also announced that it will also go electric by the year 2026, while Ford announced in 2021 its plans to sell only electric cars in Europe by 2030.
Ultimately, electric cars appear to be the way forward. The detrimental environmental impact of fossil fuel consumption cannot continue at its current rate. However, we will need to find a more sustainable method of extracting lithium and cobalt from the ground, or another means of making EV batteries if we want EVs to be a sustainable option for the future.