How green are electric cars? | It's Complicated

Summary

The global shift to electric vehicles (EVs) by 2030 is predicted to reduce tailpipe emissions, but the manufacturing process raises environmental and humanitarian concerns. EV production involves higher carbon emissions due to mining rare metals like cobalt and lithium, and the power grid's cleanliness affects their overall carbon footprint. While EVs are a step towards sustainability, they're not a complete solution. The script advocates for greener public transport, active travel, and car-sharing to truly reduce emissions.

Takeaways

• 🚗 By 2030, it's predicted there will be 145 million electric vehicles (EVs) on the road, which will be emission-free at the tailpipe.
• 🔋 Despite being emission-free at the tailpipe, EVs have a higher carbon footprint in manufacturing, largely due to the production of batteries requiring rare metals like cobalt and lithium.
• ⚙️ Electric vehicles have only 20 moving parts compared to 2,000 in petrol or diesel cars, which is beneficial for reliability and efficiency but doesn't fully account for the environmental impact of production.
• 🌍 The manufacturing process of EVs involves significant carbon emissions from mining and refining rare metals, with up to 60% more carbon emissions compared to traditional vehicles.
• 💧 For every tonne of lithium extracted, between 5 to 15 tonnes of carbon is produced, highlighting the environmental cost of battery production.
• 🌐 The global supply chain for EV battery materials often involves long carbon journeys, with raw materials being shipped to China for refining and then distributed worldwide.
• 💧 Billions of litres of water are lost from ecosystems during lithium refining, and there are serious human rights concerns, such as child labor in cobalt mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
• 🌬️ EVs produce more airborne particles from brake and tyre wear due to their heavier weight, contributing to air pollution.
• 🔌 The environmental impact of EVs is also tied to the source of the electricity used to charge them; in regions with cleaner grids, EVs have a lower carbon footprint.
• 🚌 To truly reduce emissions, there needs to be a shift towards greener public transport systems, car sharing, and active travel, rather than solely relying on personal EVs.

Q & A

What is the predicted number of electric vehicles on the road by 2030?

The prediction is that there will be 145 million electric vehicles on the road by 2030.

How does the number of moving parts in an electric vehicle compare to a petrol or diesel vehicle?

An electric vehicle's engine, powered by a battery, has only 20 moving parts, compared to 2,000 in a petrol or diesel vehicle.

What percentage of additional carbon emissions is estimated to be involved in the manufacturing of an electric vehicle compared to a petrol or diesel-powered one?

It is estimated that up to 60% more carbon is emitted into the atmosphere during the manufacturing of an electric vehicle than a petrol or diesel-powered one.

What are the main sources of carbon emissions during the production of electric vehicle batteries?

A significant amount of carbon emissions during the production of electric vehicle batteries come from the mining and refining of rare metals like cobalt and lithium, which are needed for batteries.

How much carbon is created for every tonne of extracted lithium?

Between 5 and 15 tonnes of carbon is created for every tonne of extracted lithium.

Why does the manufacturing of batteries for electric vehicles involve long carbon journeys?

The manufacturing of batteries involves long carbon journeys because raw materials are often shipped around the world, typically to China for refining, and then shipped back to be put into cars.

What are some of the environmental, human rights, and geopolitical concerns associated with the production of electric vehicles?

Some concerns include the loss of billions of litres of water from ecosystems during lithium refining, child labor issues in cobalt mining in the DRC, and the production of more airborne particles from brake and tire wear due to the heavier weight of EVs.

How does the source of electricity used to charge electric vehicles affect their carbon emissions?

The carbon emissions of electric vehicles are affected by the source of the electricity used to charge them. For example, in Norway, where electricity is mostly from hydroelectric power, EVs contribute much lower levels of CO2 compared to areas where electricity is generated from coal-fired power stations.

What is the comparison of carbon dioxide emissions between a petrol-powered car and an EV over 90,000 miles when the EV is charged with electricity from natural gas?

A study found that over 90,000 miles, a petrol-powered car creates only 24% more carbon dioxide than a similar-sized EV charged with electricity from natural gas.

What is the importance of clean electricity in achieving net-zero carbon emissions from electric vehicles?

Clean electricity is crucial for electric vehicles to deliver net-zero carbon emissions. Without it, EVs may not achieve the desired reduction in carbon emissions.

What alternatives to personal car ownership are suggested to reduce emissions?

To reduce emissions, alternatives such as integrated public transport systems, cycling, walking, car-sharing schemes, and reducing the number of car journeys are suggested.

Outlines

00:00

🚗 The Transition to Electric Vehicles and Its Challenges

The script discusses the global shift towards electric vehicles (EVs), with predictions of 145 million EVs on the road by 2030. It highlights the environmental benefits of EVs, such as zero tailpipe emissions, but also raises concerns about the manufacturing process. The production of EVs is said to emit up to 60% more carbon than traditional petrol or diesel vehicles due to the mining and refining of rare metals like cobalt and lithium, which are essential for batteries. The script also points out the environmental and human rights issues associated with these processes, including water loss from ecosystems, child labor in cobalt mining, and increased airborne particles from heavier EVs. Furthermore, it emphasizes that the environmental impact of EVs is tied to the source of electricity used to charge them, with cleaner grids leading to lower carbon emissions.

Keywords

💡Electric Vehicles (EVs)

Electric Vehicles, or EVs, refer to vehicles that are powered by electric motors rather than internal combustion engines. They are considered a key part of the solution to reducing carbon emissions from transportation. In the video, it's mentioned that by 2030, there will be 145 million EVs on the road, highlighting the rapid growth and importance of this technology in the transition to a more sustainable future.

💡Emission-free at the tailpipe

This phrase is used to describe the fact that electric vehicles do not emit pollutants from their exhaust systems, unlike traditional petrol or diesel cars. It's a core selling point for EVs in terms of immediate environmental impact. The video emphasizes this advantage but also points out that total emissions must consider the entire lifecycle, including manufacturing.

💡Carbon emissions

Carbon emissions refer to the release of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change. The video discusses how EVs have lower carbon emissions during operation but may have higher emissions during manufacturing, particularly due to the production of batteries.

💡Rare metals

Rare metals such as cobalt and lithium are essential for the production of electric vehicle batteries. The video points out the environmental and humanitarian concerns associated with mining these metals, including carbon emissions and child labor issues, which are part of the broader conversation about the sustainability of EVs.

💡Manufacturing process

The manufacturing process of EVs is highlighted in the video as a significant source of environmental impact. It's noted that up to 60% more carbon can be emitted in the production of an EV compared to a traditional car, mainly due to the extraction and refining of rare metals needed for batteries.

💡Environmental concerns

Environmental concerns encompass a wide range of issues that arise from the production and operation of EVs. The video discusses the water loss from ecosystems during lithium refining and the increased airborne particles from brake and tire wear due to the heavier weight of EVs, illustrating that the transition to EVs is not without its challenges.

💡Human rights

The video raises human rights issues, particularly in the context of cobalt mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where child labor has been a significant problem. This is an important aspect of the broader ethical considerations in the production of EVs.

💡Geopolitical concerns

Geopolitical concerns relate to the global political dynamics that can affect the production and distribution of resources needed for EVs. The video touches on this by discussing the global shipping of raw materials for batteries, often to China for refining, which can have geopolitical implications.

💡Power grid

The power grid is the infrastructure that delivers electricity from power plants to consumers. The video explains that the environmental impact of EVs is tied to the source of the electricity they use. If the grid is powered by renewable energy, EVs have a lower carbon footprint; if it relies on fossil fuels, the benefits are diminished.

💡Integrated public transport systems

Integrated public transport systems refer to comprehensive networks of buses, trains, and other shared transportation modes that can reduce the reliance on personal vehicles. The video suggests that improving and demanding such systems, along with reducing personal car usage, is a more effective approach to reducing emissions than simply switching to EVs.

💡Active travel

Active travel encompasses modes of transportation that involve physical activity, such as walking and cycling. The video suggests that promoting active travel and car-sharing schemes can be more environmentally friendly than relying solely on personal vehicles, including EVs.

Highlights

By 2030, there will be 145 million electric vehicles on the road, predicted to be fully emission-free at the tailpipe.

Electric vehicles have lower total emissions than petrol and diesel equivalents, but their manufacturing process raises concerns.

An electric vehicle engine, powered by a battery, has only 20 moving parts compared to 2,000 in a petrol or diesel engine.

It's estimated that up to 60% more carbon is emitted in the manufacturing of an electric vehicle than a petrol or diesel one.

A significant portion of carbon emissions in EV manufacturing comes from mining and refining of rare metals like cobalt and lithium.

For every tonne of extracted lithium, between 5 and 15 tonnes of carbon is created.

Battery manufacturing involves long carbon journeys for raw materials, often shipped to China for refining and then back to car manufacturers.

There are environmental, human rights, and geopolitical concerns in the making of electric vehicles, including water loss and child labor issues.

EVs are heavier, leading to more airborne particles from brake and tyre wear.

EVs are only as green as the power grid they draw from, with significant CO2 reduction potential in countries with clean electricity.

Driving an EV in Norway, with hydroelectricity, contributes much lower levels of CO2 compared to countries reliant on coal-fired power.

A study found that over 90,000 miles, a petrol-powered car created only 24% more carbon dioxide than an EV using natural gas electricity.

EVs create less CO2 than petrol and diesel vehicles across their life cycle, but clean electricity is crucial for net zero carbon emissions.

To drive down emissions, we should rethink our relationship with cars and demand greener integrated public transport systems.

98% of the world's electric buses are used in China, indicating available technology but a lack of political will to use it.

We should look to cleaner solutions like cycling, walking, car sharing schemes, and reducing the number of car journeys we take.

Transcripts

As countries around the world

phase out the sale of new petrol and diesel cars,

it's predicted that by 2030 there will be

145 m. electric vehicles on the road.

All of which will be fully  emission free at the tailpipe.

But while electric vehicles total emissions are still lower

than their petrol and diesel equivalents,

when you consider the humanitarian and environmental

impacts from their manufacturing processes,

it leaves us with some difficult  questions about the transition to EVs.

If we take a look at an electric vehicle

you can see that the engine, powered by a battery,

has only 20 moving parts.

That's down from 2,000  in a petrol or diesel equivalent.

It's great for reliability and efficiency,

but if we examine the manufacturing process a little closer,

we'll see where problems still remain.

Electric vehicles are being introduced to reduce carbon emissions.

Yet it's estimated that up to 60% more carbon

go into the making of an electric vehicle than a petrol or diesel-powered one.

A great deal of this comes from the mining and refining of rare metals

needed for batteries, such as cobalt and lithium,

during which a lot of carbon is produced.

For example, for every tonne of extracted lithium

between 5 and 15 tonnes of carbon is created.

Manufacturing batteries also produces long carbon journeys,

where raw materials are shipped around the world.

Usually to China, where they are refined and then shipped back across the world

to be put into cars.

Those are just a couple of examples,

looking specifically at the carbon impact of the manufacturing process of EVs.

But there are a whole host of other environmental, human rights and geopolitical concerns

that are created in the  making of electric vehicles.

When you consider the billions of litres of water

being lost from delicate ecosystems during lithium refining,

child labour issues surrounding cobalt mining in the DRC,

EVs producing more airborne particles from brake and tyre wear

due to their heavier weight.

We can begin to see that

while electric vehicles are an answer

to reducing our harmful reliance on fossil fuels,

they are by no means a silver bullet.

Taking a step back from the manufacturing process, 

there's a complicated environmental issue

that goes beyond just making the vehicles themselves,

and that's, that EVs are only as green  as the power grid they draw from. 

For example, if you drive an   electric vehicle in Norway,

where most electricity is powered by near zero emission hydroelectricity,

then you're contributing much lower levels of CO2.

But if you drive the same car in China,

where most electricity comes from coal-fired power stations,

then you may be contributing as much CO2 equivalent

as that, of using two-thirds of a tank of petrol.

In fact one study found that over 90,000 miles,

a petrol-powered car created only 24% more carbon dioxide

than a similar sized EV, run on electricity produced from natural gas.

So yes, EVs do create less CO2 than petrol   and diesel vehicles across their life cycle,

but without clean electricity to power them

they won't deliver the net zero carbon emissions we need.

Despite all the complications we've covered,

electric vehicles are undeniably better for the environment than diesel or petrol-powered ones,

but if we're serious about driving down our emissions,

then we need to rethink the relationship  we currently have with our cars.

Rather than simply swapping one car for a less polluting car,

we should be demanding greener integrated public transport systems

and reducing our reliance on personal transport.

Currently 98% of all the world's electric buses are used in China,

which indicates that we have the technology, but not the political will to use it.

So in the meantime, rather than waiting for future technological advancements

to clean up our battery production,

we should look to some of the cleaner solutions that are already available.

Such as cycling and walking and other forms of active travel,

as well, as car sharing schemes.

There's a fundamental thing we need to consider

and that's simply, where possible, reducing  the number of car journeys we take.