I would like to offer some counterpoints to recent letters in the Gazette (“Nothing green about the Green New Deal,” July 29, and “How we can confront the climate crisis,” Aug. 10), which claimed that electric vehicles consume excessive energy in their production, rely primarily on fossil fuel-derived electricity sources, and incorporate toxic materials.
The implication was that EVs are no better environmentally than combustion engine vehicles. First, regarding energy consumption and carbon emissions in manufacturing, a detailed 2022 study by the Yale School of the Environment found that total indirect carbon emissions from EVs, including mining, manufacturing, and other supply chain processes, are actually far less than those of conventional combustion vehicles.
Second, regarding the burning of fossil fuel-derived energy sources, it is true that EVs indirectly consume whatever energy sources supply the electric grid. However, EVs use this energy much more efficiently than combustion engine vehicles.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, EVs convert about 59%-62% of the electrical energy from the grid to power at the wheels, whereas gasoline vehicles only convert about 17%-21% of the energy stored in gasoline to power at the wheels. So even without factoring in the continuously expanding share of renewable electricity in the U.S. electric grid, EVs use less fossil fuel.
Third, regarding toxic materials in EV batteries (in many cases extracted with environmentally and socially exploitative processes) this is indeed a concern, but harmful manufacturing processes are not unique to EVs.
And, there are some encouraging developments. Start-up companies are developing and building lithium-ion battery recycling facilities in order to extract valuable components for re-use in new batteries. Additionally, improved solid state batteries with fewer toxic materials are being developed for EVs which could outperform and eventually replace lithium-ion batteries.
I’d say EVs are the way to go.
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