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Electric Cars May “Pose Environmental Threat”
05 Oct 2012 by Harry Haddon in Environment, Global Warming
Well this is disappointing. New research that examined the life-cycle impact of conventional and electric vehicles shows that in many cases electric cars might pollute much more than petrol or diesel-powered cars. So if you are looking to buy an electric car to save the planet, you could, in fact, be harming it.
The Norwegian University of Science and Technology study found greenhouse gas emissions rose dramatically if coal was used to produce the electricity, and electric car factories also emitted more toxic waste than conventional car factories.
By studying the life-cycle impact the researchers considered how the creation, use and the end-of-life dismantling of a car affects the environment. Co-author Prof Anders Hammer Stromman explains:
The production phase of electric vehicles proved substantially more environmentally intensive . . . [and] the global warming potential from electric vehicle production is about twice that of conventional vehicles.
On top of this, the batteries and electric motors needed for electric cars require a lot of toxic minerals such as nickel, copper and aluminium to produce which means the acidification impact is much greater than that of conventional car production.
To quote Prof. Sromman again:Across the other impacts considered in the analysis including potential for effects related to acid rain, airborne particulate matter, smog, human toxicity, ecosystem toxicity and depletion of fossil fuel and mineral resources, electric vehicles consistently perform worse or on par with modern internal combustion engine vehicles, despite virtually zero direct emissions during operation.There is hope for the electric car, as long as they are produced and sold in areas where the production of electricity is not solely through fossil fuels. In regions where fossil fuels are the main sources of power, electric cars offer no benefits and may even cause more harm, the report said.If electric cars are being used in regions where power comes from various sources – not just fossil fuels – and the cars used have a lifespan of over 200 000km, then their are some environmental benefits. The report claims that:[a]ssuming a vehicle lifetime of 200,000km exaggerates the global warming benefits of electric vehicles to 27-29% relative to petrol and 17-20% relative to diesel.The length of use for an electric car depends very much on how long the battery lasts, especially as they are very expensive to replace. Even as batteries are getting cheaper and more efficient, meaning a longer life for electric cars, petrol and diesel engines are also getting more efficient. “A more significant reduction in global warming could potentially be achieved by increasing fuel efficiency or shifting from petrol to diesel,” the report said.It seems that the electric car still has a way to go before it can claim some serious ‘green’ credentials. The study underscores the need for us to look for new, more efficient ways to produce power, and not get too fixated on efficient ways to use it. If an electric car is on your Christmas list, here are some wise words from the Professor:If you are considering purchasing an electric vehicle for its environmental benefits, first check your electricity source and second look closely at the warranty on the batteries.[Source: BBC]Latest News
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