Electric cars are better for the environment than non-electric cars. There is no question. However, some disadvantages come with an electric car. As the automobile industry increasingly moves to electric vehicle manufacturing over gas-fueled vehicles, here is what you need to know about the pros and cons of electric cars on the environment.
Whether you are using a battery-electric, hybrid, or plug-in hybrid vehicle, here is an honest look at what these cars are, how they are built, and their true benefits.
1. Pro: Electric Cars’ Technology Works
Commercial EV charging stations have evolved significantly. The best electric cars of today can drive upwards of 400 miles on a single charge, and that’s building with each passing year. This means more efficient charging, less stress on the electrical grid, and better environmental effects.
2. Con: Your Local Power Plant Is Probably Using Fossil Fuels
You may be opting for an electric car to minimize the burning of fossil fuels. If your local power plant burns fossil fuels to produce electricity, as most do, it greatly reduces the environmental benefits of an electric car. That said, more plants are looking into solar and wind and alternative forms of electricity production.
3. Pro: More Everyday People Are Thinking About Energy Use
Electric cars have more everyday individuals thinking about what type of energy they get and the environmental cost of it. More homes than ever have solar panels installed, for example, to help charge electric vehicles and provide electricity to their homes. All in all, this means cleaner energy and a cleaner environment.
4. Con: Battery Manufacturing Creates A Lot Of Pollution
Manufacturers use metals and minerals to make electric car batteries such as nickel, cobalt, manganese, and lithium. To mine, these minerals and metals require many resources and processes that destroy natural habitats.
5. Pro: Electric Cars Cover The Average Commute
A one-way commute for the average driver is approximately 28 minutes each way per day. Many plug-in electric cars can drive 30-40 miles, covering this sort of distance with ease.
6. Cons: There Aren’t Enough Public Charging Stations
A lack of public infrastructure, public charging stations, and the maintenance of large amounts of accessible gas stations fuels buyers to purchase non-electric cars instead of pure electric vehicles.
7. Pro: Decreased Dependence On Fossil Fuels
Less dependence on fossil fuels means less harmful development. In this, regions gain energy independence while less destruction is done to the Earth with the finding, processing, transportation, and use of fossil fuels.
8. Pro: Electric Cars Require Less Maintenance
Electric cars have far fewer moving components. They experience very few breakdowns, require very little maintenance, and do not require producing replacement parts. The materials are designed to last longer and aren’t as easily worn down as in a gas-fueled vehicle.
9. Con: Electric Car Batteries Will Only Last 10-12 Years
Current electric car batteries have an expected life of 10-12 years. This means they will eventually bite the dust, require a replacement, and require more processing and manufacturing of the precious metals and materials that make up these batteries.
10. Pro: Electric Car Manufacturing Offers Green Jobs
Electric cars are bringing with them lots of eco-friendly, green jobs. Thousands of jobs are being created worldwide supporting the buying and selling electric cars and the various components that branch off them.
11. Con: Electric Car Batteries Are Hazardous Materials
After an electric car battery no longer has use, one’s left with a battery of hazardous materials. This can lead to major waste management issues, as any hazardous material like this requires special processing.
12. Pro: Electric Cars Can Aid With City Air Pollution
In cities across the country, air pollution is a major issue. Fortunately, with little-to-no emissions produced by electric cars, this means lowering high air pollution levels. From the carbon dioxide to the oxides of nitrogen, volatile organic compounds, and particulate matter that non-electric cars put out into the atmosphere and air, electric cars produce none of that. They are exceptionally clean.
13. Pro: Electric Cars Have Reduced Emissions
No matter what kind of electric car you drive, they produce significantly less greenhouse gas emissions than gas-fueled vehicles.
14. Con: Some Electric Cars Still Burn Fossil Fuels
Hybrid electric cars still burn fossil fuels to power their internal combustion engine, ensuring they can drive long distances without recharging.
15. Pro: More Electric Cars Require No Fuel To Run
Hybrid electric cars were popular at one time. These days, more battery-electric cars are being produced and bought. The result is cars that require no fuel to run, reducing emissions and the requirement to produce fossil fuels.
16. Pro: Electric Cars Produce Less Noise
Regarding the auditory environment, gas-fueled vehicles have many moving parts, are generally a lot noisier than electric cars’ more simplistic designs, and produce large amounts of noise pollution. Electric cars are efficient, quiet, and performance-driven in ways non-electric vehicles can only wish.
