Why electric cars are better for the environment and for people

Ever since electric vehicles became mainstream in the early 2000s, some have questioned claims that they are environmentally friendly.

Summary:Opponents point out that the production process still pollutes the environment and that cars are not perfect. However, there are no exhaust gases in clean electric vehicles, which makes electric vehicles environmentally friendly. This is a simple statement, but there is a lot behind it. In the short and long term, all the benefits need to be considered to really appreciate how good electric vehicles are in the world.

No Tailpipe Emissions Means Less Greenhouse Gases in the Atmosphere 

There are two main categories of automotive emissions: direct emissions and life cycle emissions; According to Energy.gov, direct emissions come from evaporation, fuel system exhaust, and refueling processes. Direct emissions include smog-producing pollutants (such as nitrogen oxides), gases harmful to human health, and other pollutants harmful to greenhouse gases (GHGs), mainly carbon dioxide. Fully electric cars produce zero direct emissions. This contributes to the improvement of air quality in urban areas.

It is these transmissions that make us sick, cost the medical sector billions of dollars, and cause climate change.

However, life cycle emissions include all emissions from their generation, including drilling, processing, distribution, use and generation of waste, and vehicle use.

Emissions over the life cycle of electric vehicles also depend on the source of electricity used to power them. In China, in particular, most of the world's electricity comes from carbon. China produces a large number of batteries for electric vehicles, and Forbes claims that if Chinese battery manufacturers adopted our and European technologies, emissions could be reduced by 66%. However, regardless of the place of production, electric vehicles cannot be considered 100% environmentally friendly.

Does this mean that fossil-fuel-powered electric vehicles are no better for the environment than combustion-engine vehicles? Not so fast, according to Accescience.com, studies have shown that electricity not only reduces air pollution when it is generated by renewable sources such as Eolian energy but also when electricity is generated by fossil fuels.

Another study done on the effects of electric vehicles on air pollution found that under various scenarios, the more you go electric, the better the ozone levels in summer. Regardless of how energy is produced, the more combustion vehicles are removed from the roads, the better the ozone quality

However, the use of renewable sources can reduce the amount of particles in the atmosphere produced by electric vehicles to almost zero, reducing the amount of ozone and other pollutants. Using wind, solar or water power can almost completely eliminate the carbon footprint of electric vehicles.

No tailpipe emissions means no dependency on foreign oil 

Our dependence on oil leaves us vulnerable to price spikes, supply disruptions, and a series of wars in oil-producing countries that claim American lives. Electric vehicles help mitigate this threat because, unlike oil, almost all of the electricity in the US comes from domestic sources such as carbon, nuclear, gas, and renewables.

No tailpipe emissions means better public health 

Nine out of ten people worldwide breathe air, breathing pollutants into their lungs that exceed the maximum allowable. Air pollution costs the healthcare industry billions of dollars every year.

Improved respiratory health in communities becomes a reality when a decision is made to purchase an electric vehicle or when an enterprise invents the EVSE. The lives of people in the community suffering from respiratory diseases will be improved. In particular, businesses that install EVSE improve the health of their communities.

Electric cars are better than green combustion cars because they don't produce as many greenhouse gases, but electric cars are better than people's combustion cars because they offer fewer long-term and short-term benefits.