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The pursuit of sustainability and caution toward the environmental impact are characteristics of a developed society. In these terms, combustion engines cause pollution, the effect of which multiplies with the unprecedented spread of automobiles across the globe. Consequently, the pursuit of efficient transportation did not stop with this technology, and humanity has put efforts into the creation of a new vehicle design with an electric engine. Accordingly, a logical question arises whether electric vehicles are, indeed, better for the environment. This essay argues that electric automobiles can become a sustainable alternative to combustion engines, but only as a part of a broader paradigm shift.
The design of an electric vehicle is perceived as inherently cleaner that a combustion engine. The latter remains responsible for immense air pollution that continues to threaten the population of the world. Since the widespread of combustion engines began, global authorities have continuously implemented new, higher standards of controlled emissions with an aim to prevent the situation from deteriorating. However, Carvalho (2019) argues that these advances did not suffice to instil lasting improvements in terms of air pollution. A report by the European Environmental Agency indicates that the number of air pollution-related deaths in Europe exceeded 500,000 in 2015 (Carvalho, 2019). Furthermore, the death rate correlated positively with the number of vehicles in operation for each specific country. This data suggests that traditional combustion-engine cars play a key part in the continuous air pollution that poses major risks for the public health. A wider use of electric vehicles is expected to improve the situation by mitigating the strong impact of the growing number of automobiles in operation.
Logically, many developed counties attempt to promote their use or even plan to ban combustion engines by a certain point. For example, this is the case of China that acknowledged the increasing impact of vehicles on the quality of life in Shanghai. According to Alimujiang and Jiang (2020), this initiative included public transport that accounted for a large part of the pollution, being a key enabler of economic growth. The transition toward electric taxis and buses in Shanghai led to an observable decrease of CO, NOx, NMHC, and PM10 emissions (Alimujiang & Jiang, 2020, p. 181). Furthermore, electric vehicles yield economic benefits for consumers, as well. Combustion engines need regular refueling, which can be costly with the continuous increase of gasoline prices. Costa et al. (2021) state that electric vehicle owners are freed of these expenses, which is why such cars become economically beneficial after a certain point. The exact profitability threshold varies across different countries: from 2,500 km in Portugal to 335,000 km in Czech Republic (Costa et al., 2021). Ultimately, the owners of electric automobiles see economic improvements along with better health and quality of life.
On the other hand, in spite of the objective advantages, electric vehicles remain a small part of the total automobile market due to the lack of public trust. Ellsmoor (2019) the criticism of such cars appeared simultaneously with their development in the early 2000s. It is argued that the proponents of electric transportation focus on the immediate impact of a single automobile in operation, whereas a broader context needs to be examined. Each electric vehicle needs a battery and a constant supply of electricity, and the production of both can be extremely damaging to the environment. However, a lot depends of the manufacturers technology in this regard. Ellsmore (2017) notes that battery production in Europe is cleaner than in China, meaning that it is technologically feasible to make the industry greener that internal combustion vehicle manufacturing. In terms of the energy supply, an accelerated transition toward sustainable energy sources will alleviate the issue, as well (Hawkins et al., 2012). Indeed, it is unwise to view the matter on the level of a single electric vehicle in operation. Instead, a broader context needs to be considered to cause a full paradigm shift.
Nevertheless, the aforementioned paradigm shift does not appear impossible, as it corresponds with the global policy of sustainability across different industries. The development of cleaner, renewable energy sources is another key part of the global agenda, meaning that these efforts will eventually synergize with the spread of electric vehicles. However, while green initiatives are of paramount importance, the economic aspect cannot be neglected. The study by Costa et al. (2021) shows that electric vehicles have a certain profitability threshold, but it does not eliminate the fact that such cars are more expensive, in general. For an average consumer, the necessity to pay a higher amount at once is likely to outweigh distant benefits of the ownership. The required sum may not be available at all at the specific moment, prompting the purchase of an older combustion-engine car. Additionally, the profitability threshold varies greatly from short 2500 km in Portugal to considerable 335,000 km in Czech Republic (Costa et al., 2021). Thus, the situation contains many local variables that need to be considered for the effective promotion and use of electric cars. Zhao et al. (2020) concur, adding that the profound analysis is required even at the level of a separate city. Otherwise, the investigation of electric car use, impact, and profitability will be too generalized to contribute to the paradigm shift.
Ultimately, the development of electric vehicles addresses global communities pressing concerns regarding air pollution and environmental impact of the automobile industry. These factors account for hundreds of thousands of premature deaths annually, and the new vehicle design serves to mitigate the problem. In addition, electric cars are economical, too, helping their owners avoid the increasing prices of gasoline. However, their opponents refer to a broader context of energy and batter production impact with questionable economic benefits in some areas. These concerns appear reasonable, as they highlight objective flaws of the electric vehicle design. Nevertheless, the benefits prevail, and the use of electric vehicles is likely to become the future of transportation, as long as broader context is considered for a quality paradigm shift.
References
Alimujiang, A., & Jiang, P. (2020). Synergy and co-benefits of reducing CO2 and air pollutant emissions by promoting electric vehiclesA case of Shanghai. Energy for Sustainable Development, 55, 181189. Web.
Carvalho, H. (2019). Air pollution-related deaths in Europe Time for action. Journal of Global Health, 9(2). Web.
Costa, C. M., Barbosa, J. C., Castro, H., Goncalves, R., & Lancerons-Mendez, S. (2021). Electric vehicles: To what extent are environmentally friendly and cost effective? Comparative study by European countries. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 151, 111548. Web.
Ellsmoor, J. (2019). Are electric vehicles really better for the environment? Forbes. Web.
Hawkins, T. R., Gausen, O. M., & Strømman, A. H. (2012). Environmental impacts of hybrid and electric vehicles A review. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, 17, 9971014. Web.
Zhao, X., Ye, Y., Ma, J., Shi, P., & Chen, H. (2020). Construction of electric vehicle driving cycle for studying electric vehicle energy consumption and equivalent emissions. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 27, 3739537409. Web.
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