July 27, 2023
Are EVs green?
The rising adoption of electric vehicles is largely driven by their potential for reducing our carbon emissions. However, the question remains, how green are EVs truly?
To answer this question we need to perform a lifecycle analysis on an electric vehicle. This requires studying the entire life of a vehicle from manufacture all the way to its end of life and potentially beyond if certain parts like the battery are repurposed. EV emissions can be broken up into the following categories:
Manufacturing Emissions
The manufacturing process of electric vehicles, specifically their batteries, contributes to CO2 emissions. Battery production, involving the extraction and processing of materials such as lithium, cobalt, and nickel, is quite energy-intensive. Moreover, the extraction process itself can have significant environmental consequences, including water pollution and habitat destruction. Nevertheless, these 'upfront' emissions are often offset over the lifetime of the EV, particularly when you compare them to the continuous emissions produced by a conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle. Electric vehicles produce zero tailpipe emissions (exhaust), which means that once on the road, they are far less polluting than internal combustion engine vehicles. As the EV is driven more, this 'emissions debt' from the production phase gets paid off. Once the break-even point is reached, the EV becomes increasingly beneficial for the climate compared to a conventional car.
Electricity Emissions
The environmental efficiency of an EV is also contingent on the source of the electricity used to charge it. In regions where the grid relies heavily on coal or other fossil fuels, EVs may not represent a drastic reduction in carbon emissions when compared to highly efficient ICE vehicles. On the other hand, as the energy sector continues to shift towards more renewable energy sources, the carbon footprint of charging an EV lessens. Therefore, the impact of EVs will continually improve as we transition towards greener grids.
Recycling Challenges and Innovations
Currently, recycling electric car batteries presents a considerable challenge. These complex components require advanced recycling techniques to reclaim valuable materials and prevent hazardous waste. Despite these challenges, significant progress is being made in this field, with some companies already demonstrating effective ways to recycle upwards of 95% of battery components. These advancements could play a significant role in minimising the demand for new raw materials and mitigating the environmental costs of battery production.
Issues Surrounding Battery Components
The use of cobalt in EV batteries has been a subject of concern due to the environmental and ethical implications linked to its mining, predominantly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Recognizing this issue, many manufacturers are now aiming to decrease or even entirely eliminate the use of cobalt in their batteries, developing new technologies to make this possible. It’s important to remember that mining of rocks and metals is something that we’ve done for decades to support the production of fuels for petrol and diesel cars.
