'21: The Year Of The Electric Vehicle

If nothing else, Covid-19 has shown us how much we're damaging our planet and now is the time to take an extra step, to do our piece in our personal consumerism world.

Transportation is the #1 culprit

So let me jump in and say, now is the moment to move to an Electric Vehicle!

Here we go - come on, all you naysayers, it's time to push-back on that bold statement. Surely none of you debate any longer, we have global warming?

But, I know there's plenty out there who'll react and tell me the Electric Vehicle "well to wheel" damage to the economy is bad. Or the more advanced among us, start to talk battery recycling versus ICE recycling is disappointing and even you supply chain analyzers will come at it from a battery cost to the environment is awful!

Let's first agree that continuing to purchase an Internal Combustion Engine vehicle isn't helping our environment, is it?

For me, we can start by going EV, so let me tell you why

#1 how we move around for 99% of our lives

So, we can all stop traveling using fuel and all start walking/cycling, can't we?

Well I can't, as much as I love walking and cycling whenever I have chance. Let's agree we live in an ever increasingly borderless world and there's nothing more stimulating than conversing, socializing and for me, doing business with cultures all around the world. As I've always said, if there was one skill I'd want more than any other, it'd be the skill to speak every language on this planet, to break-down barriers to communication and to relate to everyone, but thankfully google translate is fixing that.

Anyways, back to my point, it means we need to travel. So what's our part to play in this world that's getting smaller each day?

Changing to an EV is a step in the right direction

Is it perfect in every respect? No!

Are there potential other forms of transport that exist today or potential other forms that could be better? Yes

but.....

Analysis is paralysis

Let me remind you; Environmental resource economist Marshall Burke calculates that two months of pollution reduction in China has probably saved the lives of 4,000 children under five and 73,000 adults over 70 (which would otherwise have been affected by high levels of pollution).

Images of clear water in Venice's canals have appeared on the Internet. No boat traffic and the absence of tourists seems to have made an impact on water quality.

 So what's stopping you?

Battery range?

Most EV's are 250 miles plus and now in most countries there are more charging points than there are gas stations.

And, the average driver:

• Spends 55 minutes a day behind the wheel
• Drives 29 miles a day

so, with a little extra planning, it's not really an issue. But, at the end of the day, continual battery and software upgrades are increasing the battery range.

I know there's a few quirky other excuses, but let's come onto the bigger ones..

Well to Wheel environmentalism

This is currently the biggest argument against EVs.

There's no denying the improvement toward the environmental of the EV versus the ICE, taken in isolation is far, far better. Then there's the power usage to drive the vehicle from an EV battery versus ICE is also multiple times better.

But what about the actual charging station where does that power come from? or your home's power to charge overnight, where does that come from?

When we consider coal-fired power plants, it's a sad reduction in the environmental positive impact of the EV! but it's still better than the ICE!

If it's a Natural Gas plant, or better still Nuclear, it's much better again.

But, then if you're a real environmentalist, you could always search out some of the new green energy providers of charging stations and better still go solar, maybe wind at home!

Let's talk production

Manufacturing an EV is more complex and costly and uses more power! It doesn't tip the balance between ICE on the road versus EV, but it is nevertheless a weakness in the argument.

It's why so many of the EV manufacturers are now insisting on renewable energy sources to power their plants. Mitsubishi are even using recycled EV batteries on their latest plant.

The Big One - the Battery

First-up it's been the inability to recycle batteries, while ICE Vehicles meanwhile, certainly in the US have reached 95% total recycling, which is admirable.

Well, coming to a recycling business near you soon is the ability to recycle 90% of an EV battery that takes up 25% of a vehicle and its materials. Yes, Lithium, Cobalt, Nickel, Graphite, Aluminum & Manganese all now ready for reuse.

So that leaves us with the environmental impact of the battery in the 1st place. All that Lithium, Cobalt etc

And this is where we need to see an improvement through ongoing innovation in battery technology.

But, when all said and done, the EV is considerably better than the ICE. The holistic facts speak for themselves.

A step in the right direction

While we argue another technology is better than EV, or that the EV isn't as great as we think it is, Covid-19 has shown time is passing, while we continue to burn fossil fuels to the detriment of our planet.

Make a step in the right direction, with one of the greatest personal impacts on our planet; how you transport yourself.

"Thus endeth my lecture for now"

Thanks for listening

Andrew Sparrow

#ev #aces #auto40 #automotive40 #4ir