The Role That Electric Vehicles Play in Saving the Environment
The chief environmental benefit from driving an electric car is a more sustainable economy that is less dependent on oil and meets the goals of climate change. Actually, electric vehicles are more environmentally friendly than you might think. Compared to conventional automobiles, EVs can promote a healthier lifestyle for you. They also help reduce incidences of smog, air pollution, and an individual’s carbon footprint.
Electric vehicles likewise have financial benefits, including savings of approximately 75% on fuel costs. Unlike traditional autos, electric cars require no maintenance, and you get to eventually enjoy lower operating and ownership expenses. Simply put, EVs are a cost-effective way to achieve sustainable transportation.
Additionally, electric vehicles are being promoted by governments around the world as the solution to rising oil consumption and climate change. Many automotive companies have likewise recognized the environmental impact of electric cars and are moving towards producing more of them.
Are Electric Cars Better for the Environment?
The greatest effect of EVs on modern life has to do with their significant contribution to improving air quality in various cities and towns. Just one electric car can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 1.5 million grams per year in just a little over a decade. EVs have also made the streets safer for both pedestrians and cyclists.
Nonetheless, electric vehicles still produce greenhouse gases even though they have no exhaust emissions.This is especially true if an EV is charged from an electric grid, according to northwestautocollision.com. Given this, it is crucial that you install a solar PV system at home through which you can charge your electric car at night. Another option is to purchase GreenPower from your local utility company.
How Do Electric Vehicles Help the Environment?
Below are some of the ways that EVs help preserve the environment directly and indirectly.
- EVs leave minimal carbon footprint.
Electric cars can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 80%. A lower emission rate reduces the likelihood of extreme weather, worsening climate changes, and developing smog-related problems.
- EVs can be used for their convenience alone.
Electric vehicles offer convenience day in, day out, giving you the choice to drive as far as 200 miles on a fully-charged battery. The regular battery can also be used to store energy and provide an additional source of electricity.
- EVs produce zero tailpipe emissions.
Fully-charged EVs don’t require a tailpipe, unlike traditional engines that rely on gasoline and diesel in order to run. Since a tailpipe is not part of their components, electric vehicles don’t emit carbon dioxide from fossil fuels. In other words, an EV can significantly reduce the amount of air pollution.
Strangely, while most electric cars are powered by rechargeable, emission-free batteries, some get the needed electric power from coal-burning power plants. This leaves an even greater carbon footprint, although the emissions are a lot lower.
- Manufacturers of EVs use environmentally-friendly materials.
Many EV manufacturers have struggled to create a lightweight, functional vehicle with greater range and a lower carbon footprint. These goals are not achievable when traditional materials found in gas-powered vehicles are used. Manufacturers have since turned to organic and recycled items in order to produce lighter, more efficient, and eco-friendly electric cars. Recycled materials not only benefit EV manufacturers, they also reduce pollution from metal and plastic manufacturing.
- EVs use cleaner energy.
The batteries that power electric vehicles can be used as a source of renewable energy. When you charge your EV at night, the stored energy can serve as a buffer for your electric supply.
- EVs use clean and environment-friendly batteries.
Electric cars are a relatively new technology in the automotive sector. They use batteries that conform to a strict industry standard and these can trump the two-year carbon footprint reduction by 2-3x.
The growing interest in making batteries from renewable sources like solar and wind is an encouraging sign. It means that more EV batteries can be produced with large amounts of energy stored inside them but with minimal harmful emissions.
Key Takeaway
The growing popularity of electric vehicles can hardly be denied. The main attraction naturally is the impact that these cars have made on helping preserve the environment. However, some sectors are saying that EVs are not entirely eco-friendly because some of the materials used for charging purposes emit harmful substances.
This is partly true, but only because charging stations for electric cars are still limited. In the coming years, more infrastructure are expected to be put up to enable EVs to become completely environment-friendly. As it stands now, electric vehicles remain a friend of Mother Earth given the important role that they play in reducing carbon emissions and in using only organic materials during the manufacturing process. Undoubtedly, they have become viable alternatives to gas-powered cars and will likely become even more advanced and durable as automotive technology further improves.
