how long does it take an electric car to write off a used ( already depreciated)gas( not diesel) with its lithium batteries and material? is it really more environment friendly in long term or unless the production industry go green it is more like a hype rather than a real impact regarding all production cycle? in short, are electric cars really as green as we think?
In: Technology
So your question really reminds me of the argument about being vegan essentially being healthier for the earth, as a concept it is (cows cost much more to raise, effects of methane production, etc). However, that question also changes once people start calculating the cost of transporting & preserving freshness for “vegan” foods where that transport & storage causes emissions, which while isn’t easy to bear in mind while behind green and vegan, happen nonetheless.
Anyway, in terms of e-vehicles, you’re going to get a bag of mixed messages which have more to do with the fact that we’ve (in the US anyway) have issues with infrastructure, energy availability, standardization, recycling waste (since batteries do contain toxic substances) & life cycle assessment.
At present there has been no official standardization of e-vehicle technologies, meaning each company are basically doing their own thing & a regulatory/compliance standard has not been set. Those standards are usually created after life cycle assessments & impact studies are made, which at this point we have too low usage & consumer distribution to fully assess.
In terms of emissions, YES, electric vehicles will address GHG & particulate matter pollution & reduce these dramatically. Right now, short to mid distance transport in communities account for 30 to 40% of GHG emissions, and by consequence, the disease and mortality rates associated with them. When we think polluters, we have a picture of the Exxon Valdez in our heads but forget about the thousands of Amazon deliveries being made In a 5 mile radius where we walk and live. E-vehicles kick up less particulate toxins into the air, and since the engine is not combustible it requires less maintenance (even if the cost upfront is much higher).
If you’re trying to calculate price parity, it will be a few years before an Ev achieves it as compared to a used or even new combustible engine car. However, that price difference is shrinking every year and the question is how long you may plan to keep the car since, depending on where you are, new regulations dictate that new car sales should be solely Ev. Your planned usage also matters, due to charging etc.
kWh charges will be significantly lower than gas prices, and if the collective efforts of industry & govt come to fruition, should additionally protect us from fuel pricing fluctuations which have significant impact on the price of goods.
For your purposes as a consumer, you can see if it suits you & at this point, you can also find used Evs, even if the technology is rapidly developing & you may want to switch sooner than later. From a larger viewpoint, “what’s greener” is a question that may be answered via different energy solutions, for instance it’s easier to develop EVs for consumer use but a long distance class 8 truck may need a different solution, same with boats, same with planes.
Latest Answers