Not so green electric cars

Nowadays with the rise of renewable energy and improvements in rechargeable batteries, buying an electric cars over a traditional gasoline car is becoming cheaper and cheaper. With greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reaching new highs every year, an electric car is also becoming the more responsible choice.

The four major renewable energy sources in Canada from 2006 to 2016 in megawatts (MW). Source: Natural Resources Canada

However, though an electric car’s engine does not produce any carbon dioxide gas compared to conventional gasoline engines, many consumers often forget the hidden GHG emissions cost from when a car is manufactured.

Sale of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in China by year between January 2011 and December 2018 | Source: Mario Roberto Durán Ortiz

In fact, from the moment a car comes out of a manufacturing plant, it would have produced as much as 35 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere. Compared to an average gasoline-powered car that produces 4.6 metric tons of CO2 annually, that is more than seven years of emissions from the plant to the dealer.

In addition, not all electric vehicles are made equal. A plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) still has an internal combustion engine; however, it will use battery power for a certain distance before it switches to gasoline as the fuel source. This combines the strength of both gasoline and battery power since there are no emissions for short trips such as commuting to work but also has the flexibility of being able to quickly refill at a gas station. Battery electric vehicles (BEV) or all-electric vehicle is, as the name suggests, run purely on battery power. These vehicles usually have lower maintenance costs due to lacking the moving parts in the internal combustion engine but initial investment and possible replacement battery in future repairs can be quite costly.

Therefore, even if one were to buy an electric vehicle whose fuel solely comes from renewable energy, it would still leave an initial carbon footprint equivalent to sevens years of GHG emissions.

This discrepancy between what we perceive as beneficial for the environment versus what would practically reduce one’s emissions leaves something to be desired. After all, if buying electric vehicles barely changes one’s total GHG emissions, what would be a better way to save the planet?

Cover of the game “reduce reuse recycle” by Nadine3103

Turns out, it all comes back to the principle of reduce, reuse and recycle. In the modern age, every product that uses plastic and rare metals in some way have to refined or synthesized; this means usually in a plant or mine that most likely emits tonnes of GHG. By using old phones longer, supporting local businesses and buying in season products, emissions associated with long-distance transportation can be significantly reduced. Combined with walking and biking more often, these small actions can have more meaningful impacts than buying a brand new vehicle.

Tesla Model S 90 D by Peteratkins. Modified by Mariordo

So the next time an electric vehicle advertises zero carbon emissions, think twice about what would actually help the planet rather than buying the newest technology that may not be as green as it seems.

References

1. Deutsch: Tesla Model S 90 D; 2017.
2. Ortiz, M. R. D. Electric Car Use by Country; 2019.
3. Electric Vehicle Battery: Materials, Cost, Lifespan https://www.ucsusa.org/clean-vehicles/electric-vehicles/electric-cars-battery-life-materials-cost (accessed Feb 14, 2019).
4. English: Cover of the Game “Reduce Reuse Recycle.”
5. US EPA, O. Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions Data https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/global-greenhouse-gas-emissions-data (accessed Feb 14, 2019).
6. US EPA, O. Greenhouse Gas Emissions from a Typical Passenger Vehicle https://www.epa.gov/greenvehicles/greenhouse-gas-emissions-typical-passenger-vehicle (accessed Jan 24, 2019).
7. Clarke, S. How green are electric cars? http://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2017/dec/25/how-green-are-electric-cars (accessed Feb 14, 2019).
8. Infographic: The Evolution of Battery Technology https://www.visualcapitalist.com/evolution-of-battery-technology/ (accessed Feb 14, 2019).
9. Berners-Lee, M.; Clark, D. Manufacturing a Car Creates as Much Carbon as Driving It. The Guardian. September 23, 2010