Electric Cars are Not Better for The Environment; Less Cars Are
By Alberto Della Torre
When the conversation about how we can reduce global carbon emissions and dampen the effects of climate change, the transition from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to electric vehicles is often brought up as a part of the solution to this crisis. The premise is simple: ICE vehicles emit carbon when in use due to their need for gasoline, electric vehicles on the other hand do not. By switching all of our cars and trucks to electric we get rid of about a third of just the United States’ carbon emissions alone. However, the truth about electric vehicles is much more complicated. In fact, if we were to switch every ICE vehicle today for an electric one, it would do little to nothing to stop our climate and environmental problems.
The first issue when it comes to electric vehicles is the case of the so-called “long tailpipe.” While Electric vehicles do not emit carbon while they are in use, the power they use in most cases does. If an electric vehicle takes power from a facility that creates energy through fossil fuels, the electric vehicle is still emitting carbon, just in a more protracted manner. In order for electric cars to be “carbon-zero,” we would need to completely retrofit our electric grid so that it is completely supplied by renewable and nuclear energy, which is an expensive and lengthy process. Until we reach that ambitious goal, electric vehicles are still part of the climate problem, not the solution.
The issues with electric vehicles go further than just their figurative long tailpipes. Electric cars are still cars, and cars are bad for the environment in a multitude of ways besides the carbon they emit while in use. First, electric cars are heavy, much heavier than ICE vehicles because of the weight of the batteries built into them. For example, the monstrous 2023 GMC Electric Hummer comes out at roughly 9,000 pounds, its battery by itself weighs 2,900 pounds, heavier than a Toyota Corolla.
The bulkiness of new electric cars presents several environmental problems. First, each new electric car requires much more material to build compared to conventional ICE cars. Lithium, which is an essential component of the batteries charging these megacars, is in high-demand for other renewable industries such as solar power. Diverting important resources needed to change our energy system to personal vehicles is only hindering our fight against climate change. Second, the extra weight inherent in electric vehicles puts more pressure on the tires they ride on. This increased weight on the tires leads to higher tire degradation, releasing more tiny particles of rubber into our air, land, and water. While electric cars are able to combat one form of air pollution, they create another while also polluting our soil and rivers.
The last and most apparent reason why electric cars will not be the silver bullet to save the environment is because electric cars are still cars. If we continue to build our environment around car-centric infrastructure, we will fail in our fight for environmental preservation. Cars, in their current iteration, are too large to be space efficient or time efficient within urban contexts. The amount of space and money needed to accommodate parking, roads, highways, and other car-infrastructure are so great that they become a hindrance in all other parts of urban life. An example of this cost is the urban heat-island effect. Concrete, commonly associated with urban and car-centric environments, retains heat much better compared to other materials and environments. This is why it feels hotter standing in a parking lot compared to a forest or grassland. Compound the heat retention of concrete over dozens of square miles in a city, and the city will have a higher temperature compared to surrounding rural areas. By converting concrete-laden areas into more natural settings, we can reduce the urban heat island effect and make urban living more comfortable. This would require converting car-centric infrastructure into livable human spaces.
All of the environmental issues described in this piece will not be solved by replacing every ICE vehicle with an electric one. In fact, some issues could be exacerbated, such as tire pollution. The only way to manage these issues is to reduce our reliance on private cars. The less miles traveled in private cars will result in less carbon emissions, less tire pollution, and less dependence on environmentally toxic car infrastructure. By investing in public transportation, micro-mobility, and walkable cities we will take a major step in managing the environmental crisis we find ourselves in.
Written by Alberto Della Torre, one of the founding member of the Urbanism Club at the University of Michigan. He graduated in 2023 with a BA in both International Studies and Environmental Studies.
Cover Photo by Irina Grotkjaee via Unsplash
Urbanism Club August 25th, 2023