If you're brand new to the concept of electric vehicles, here's what you need to know. You won't have to pay anything at a pump like you would to fill the tank of a traditional car. However, anytime you charge the battery for your electric vehicle at home, the electricity you use will go onto your monthly home electricity bill. The good news here is that electricity costs are going down. With current progressions in policies towards electric vehicles and technological improvements, the prices for renewable energy continue to decrease. Safety Considerations Some of the more obvious but notable benefits of how electric cars help the environment include: ● Decreased pollution ● Environmentally friendly manufacturing materials ● Sustainable energy However, did you know that driving an electric vehicle could also be a safer choice? Electric cars contain some unique safety components that could actually reduce road hazards for motorists. Electric cars feature a reduction in their center of gravity which makes them far less likely to roll over if you get into a collision.
9 Even if the environmental impact of refineries and coal fired power plants were roughly equal coal is only 48. 3% the source of electricity in the US. 10 As cleaner sources come online this percentage is dropping. The electric vehicle is so far ahead of a gasoline vehicle there is every environmental reason to favor electric vehicles.
Their hands may not be quite so clean as they believe. Jonathan Lesser is the President of Continental Economics, an economic and regulatory consulting firm. His new report, " Short Circuit: The High Cost of Electric Vehicle Subsidies " was published by the Manhattan Institute on May 15.
Longer lives The report pointed out that the longer an electric car in Europe stays mobile, the greater its "lead" over petrol and diesel engines. "Assuming 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, " it said. "An assumption of 100, 000km decreases the benefit of electric vehicles to 9-14% with respect to petrol vehicles and results in impacts indistinguishable from those of a diesel vehicle. " An electric car's longevity depends a great deal on how long its battery lasts, not least since it is very expensive to replace them. Batteries are gradually getting better, which could result in electric cars being used for longer. However, as petrol and diesel engines are also improving, the relationships between the different types of vehicles are not constant. "A more significant reduction in global warming could potentially be achieved by increasing fuel efficiency or shifting from petrol to diesel, " the report said.
Fewer moving parts inevitably result in lower maintenance costs and fewer breakdowns. In other words, electric cars are built to last. 6. The Decrease in Noise Pollution Around 46 per cent of Australians says that they experience noise pollution which negatively impacts their quality of life. Noise pollution isn't only caused by what people hear on the streets. In Victoria, over 70 per cent of residents says they can hear traffic noise from their homes. Noise pollution isn't just annoying for people. It's also harmful to human health and the environment. When the human ear hears a noise which goes beyond 85 decibels, it can cause significant damage, such as hearing loss. However, noise over 65 decibels is enough to increase blood pressure, stress, and heart rate. Even as your body gets familiar with the sounds of the road, the damage continues. How Can Electric Cars Help to Decrease Noise Pollution? By contrast, electric cars are almost silent. They have the opposite problem. Many people are concerned that the absence of any noise produced by the vehicles, requires pedestrians and cyclists to be even more aware of oncoming traffic.
Also, while EVs are greener than gasoline-power cars, we certainly need to keep maximizing their green factor by switching our grid over to a clean energy rather than primarily dirty energy grid. And for those of you interesting in doing so, there are a lot of options out there for going EV and going solar at the same time! Source: UCS Images: GM; Nissan Leaf courtesy of shutterstock; Ford; Wikimedia Commons; Fisker; DeLorean Motor Company; Appreciate CleanTechnica's originality? Consider becoming a CleanTechnica Member, Supporter, Technician, or Ambassador — or a patron on Patreon. Have a tip for CleanTechnica, want to advertise, or want to suggest a guest for our CleanTech Talk podcast? Contact us here. New Podcast: Cruise Talks Autonomous Driving Tech, Regulations, & Auto Design New Podcast: Battery Mineral Mining Policies & Regional Trends
A scientific report published in the journal Nature found that given the significant impact lithium-ion batteries have on the environment and their growing popularity, "recycling is not only necessary, but also urgent. " Rel: Scads of new electric, hybrid vehicles on way The researchers stated if the batteries aren't recycled correctly or reused, their good for the environment is wasted. They said they successfully tested closed-loop recycling with electric car batteries, a type of recycling in which the item is turned into more of the same thing, like recycling paper that eventually is produced into more paper. Researchers found that recycling car batteries on a large scale was "very promising. " As electric vehicles become more popular, the battery-recycling market could expand. Research from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory found that lithium-ion car batteries may last up to 15 years in moderate climates. The user who posted the claim did not reply to a USA TODAY request for comment.
Also, it is important to note that EVs are way too expensive and a minuscule number of consumers are finding vehicles that are available in the market, actually appealing. One of the most important factors contributing to this high cost is the battery technology currently prevailing. Batteries make up to almost half the cost of an electricity-powered car. While the cost of batteries has come down over the years, they are still quite expensive to spike the overall cost of an EV, when compared to a regular vehicle plying the road. The Big Issue For several battery manufacturers around the world, operating margins are in the negative and free cash flows, volatile. Considering the scenario, EVs are not witnessing any major growth in terms of adoption and owing to the inadequate advancement in battery technology, these packs can't be charged as quickly as formerly anticipated and lack of charging stations. Analysts expect battery prices to go up by 20per cent over the coming years, even though the prices of raw materials such are cobalt and lithium are plummeting due to lower demands.