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The Environmental Impact of Electric Vehicles
Introduction
There are a growing number of electric cars on the market, and they are already firmly occupying a significant transport segment on the roads. Manufacturers and distributors, cars with electric motors are generally considered zero-emission vehicles. On the other hand, many people perceive electric cars as nonenvironmental, pointing to greenhouse gas emissions, including at the production stage. Recently, there has been more conversation about how environmentally friendly electric cars are gaining popularity (Valerdi 1). Thus, arguments need to be presented to confirm the negative impact of electric cars on the environment.
The Hidden Influence of Electric Vehicles
The negative impact of electric cars on the environment is manifested through coal-fired power plants. Studies conducted in the United States indicate that the effects of electric vehicles on the environment are heterogeneous (Research Highlights 1). This is explained by the fact that, for example, in the Midwest, electricity comes mainly from coal-fired power plants. Accordingly, the production of components for the functioning of cars uses methods that are detrimental to the environment. The more electric cars, the more electricity needs to be produced, and if the bulk of the countrys power factories is in thermal power plants, the situation worsens dramatically. Moreover, another evidence of electric vehicles negative and hidden influence on the environment is the increased demand for charging stations (Caldeira 41). Perhaps the problem can be improved if the idea of using solar energy and equipping charging stations with solar panels is implemented.
Production and Disposal of an Electric Vehicle
When assessing the environmental impact of an electric car, attention should also be focused on the production technology. Several years ago, the Ricardo consulting company published the results of studies. According to these results, the production of a conventional fuel-based car emits one and a half times less hazardous emissions than the production of an electric vehicle. Approximately half of the emissions come from the battery production step (Wan and Wang 2). It appears that the harmlessness of the electric car pales in comparison with the damage inflicted on the ecological environment of the planet by its production.
Perhaps the issue of recycling electric car batteries is not yet acute, but it raises doubts about the environmental performance of these vehicles. However, this is probably because the number of electric cars in the world is still relatively small compared to the number of fuel-powered vehicles. Batteries contain many toxic chemicals, and if these batteries are thrown away in a landfill, they can harm the environment significantly. Only 5% of all failing lithium-ion batteries used in electric cars are properly recycled (Wan and Wang 2) At the same time, Bloomberg New Energy Finance, a consultancy that conducts analytical research on the global energy market, claims that the number of batteries for electric cars will exceed 3.4 million by 2025 (Wan and Wang 7). An ecological catastrophe will surely ensue if humanity does not learn how to recycle batteries properly.
Harmful Effects of Electromagnetic Fields
The electromagnetic fields produced by cars hurt human health. There is another phenomenon associated with electric vehicles, which, according to scientists and researchers, can cause serious harm, this time not to the environment but directly to human health. The question is about the electromagnetic field created in the process of work of the electric car. Research on electromagnetic phenomena has been conducted practically since the beginning of electric vehicle history. According to the outcomes of an examination conducted at the Institute of Terrestrial Magnetism, the effect of electromagnetic fields is most potent in electric cars of the hybrid type (Weeberb et al. 69). In them, the battery is installed under the back seat or in the luggage compartment, and the current flows virtually throughout the car, turning the vehicle into a charged circuit. In this case, the maximum electromagnetic field occurs precisely where the cars driver sits.
Moreover, during active acceleration or the moment of braking, the radiation peak falls on the place behind the driver. That place is believed to be one of the safest for the passenger; a child is often placed there (Weeberb et al. 70). To fully assess the degree of danger of electromagnetic field, it is necessary to remember that the electromagnetic background from the electric car is quite comparable to radiation. They receive a driver in the subway for a full shift of work. However, the representatives of professions related to electromagnetic phenomena receive a bonus for harmfulness (Weeberb et al. 70). Meanwhile, drivers and passengers are spreading the myth that electric cars are meant to enhance the environment and not harm peoples health.
Nevertheless, the principal danger is not the power of electromagnetic radiation but the fact that this value is extremely variable in an electric car. The low-frequency field in an electric vehicle changes thousands of times, and these changes harm the human body. It is essential to become accustomed to one level of exposure, and it immediately changes; such fluctuations inevitably violate the ability of the body to work. Pregnant women who have not yet had time to form all their organs entirely are highly harmful to electromagnetic exposure (Weeberb et al. 70). It is confirmed that electromagnetic fields cause abnormalities in the development of the human embryo. At the cellular level, low-frequency electromagnetic oscillations cause body cells to receive an ionic charge. As a result, the chemical processes in the body are disturbed, and the tissues cease to obtain the appropriate amount of oxygen for nutrition. This results in lethargy, disorientation, irritability, and the gradual development of oncology.
The Positive Environmental Impact of Electric Vehicles
The benefit of electric cars is that they decrease the emission of exhaust gases into the atmosphere. Road vehicles are not only a convenient means of transportation but also a powerful source of environmental pollution. The higher number of cars, trucks, passenger buses, and construction equipment significantly worsens the already poor air quality. From an ecological perspective, motor vehicles are a mobile and intermittent source of environmental pollution: gaseous, liquid, and even harsh chemical compounds (Knobloch et al. 437). The degree of pollution is determined by the engines type, power, time, and mode of operation, the fuel quality used, the engines technical condition, and the level of operation of the vehicle. For instance, exhaust gases contribute up to 1-1.5 percent of a vehicles fuel consumption to the atmosphere. In addition, running engines are potent sources of heat radiation (Knobloch et al. 437). Current vehicle engines discharge about 60 percent of the thermal energy of combusted fuels into the atmosphere in the form of heat and hot gases (Knobloch et al. 438). Considering the constant improvement in the total number of motor vehicles, their negative impact on urban air quality is tangible and steadily expanding.
The solution to these problems is using electric motors in todays world. This is explained by the fact that they guarantee the absence of exhaust fumes. The engine, which is powered by electricity, is practically pollution-free. In addition, renewable energy sources, such as our photovoltaic system, can be used to charge the battery. Research in recent years confirms the positive effect of electric cars on the environment. According to the available analytical data, throughout the entire life cycle of vehicles, the operating phase is associated with the highest environmental pollution (Weeberb et al. 70). In this aspect, electric cars are superior to other car models, mainly due to significant reduction in the carbon footprint.
Studies indicate that electric cars do not have a CO2 emission advantage. They emit greenhouse gases indirectly by producing the required electricity in a power plant. It requires a lot of energy to make electric cars, mainly due to the energy-intensive production of batteries. Its production is not without emissions to the atmosphere. Most studies cite the following figures: the output of 1 kWh emits between 100 and 200 kg of CO2 into the atmosphere. At the stated pollution level, about 5 tons of greenhouse gases are produced while producing a standard 35 kWh battery (Weeberb et al. 72). In different studies, these emissions range from 10 to 12 tons. When produced, an internal combustion engine, whether gasoline or diesel, emits 6 to 7 tons of greenhouse gases (Weeberb et al. 72). Thus, the use of electric motors does not help to reduce the problem of exhaust gas emissions into the atmosphere.
Conclusion
Therefore, it appears that the benefits of an electric-powered car are questionable. The production of electric vehicles leads to more carbon dioxide emissions than the assembly of cars with internal combustion engines. Battery recycling and disposal of electric vehicles also hurt the environment. However, the use of electric vehicles is detrimental to the health of drivers and passengers. Accordingly, the popularity of electric cars is not justified by the indicator of safe exposure but by the environment.
Works Cited
Caldeira, Ken. Stop Emissions! MIT Technology Review, vol. 119, no. 1, 2016, pp. 41-43.
Knobloch, Florian et al. Net Emission Reductions from Electric Cars and Heat Pumps in 59 World Regions Over Time. Nature Sustainability, vol. 3, no. 6, 2020, pp. 437-447.
Research Highlights. Springer Nature, vol. 541, 2017, p.1.
Valerdi, Ricardo. Unintended Consequences of Electric Vehicles. Industrial Engineer, 2015, pp. 1-3.
Weeberb, Requia, et al. How Clean are Electric Vehicles? Evidence-Based Review of The Effects of Electric Mobility on Air Pollutants, Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Human Health. Atmospheric Environment, vol. 185, 2018, pp. 64-77.
Wan, Taotianchen, and Yikai Wang. The Hazards of Electric Car Batteries and Their Recycling. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, vol. 1011, no. 1, 2022, pp.1-9.
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