You can imagine where the rumours that EVs are worse for the environment came from! Though we can’t prove it, it smacks of a PR agency hired by an oil company and told to make EVs look worse than fossil fueled cars.
MYTH: EVs just moves pollution from the tailpipe to the energy source.
FACT: One of the main differences of EVs from fossil fuel powered cars is that they get cleaner the cleaner the source of the electricity. Plug-ins can run on renewable electricity from sources such as the sun, wind and hydro powered generators.
Even if the source of the electricity is from the dirtiest coal powered power plant, based on the ‘Well To Wheel’ study of EVs vs fossil fuel powered vehicles, EVs are still significantly cleaner over their lifespan compared to their petrol or diesel equivalent.
MYTH: Battery chemicals are bad for the environment and can’t be recycled
FACT: Most electric car manufacturers offer a 10 year warranty on the lithium ion batteries that come with the cars as standard.
After years of use in an EV, the batteries will often have up to 80% capacity left. This means they can be repurposed into energy storage for the grid, houses, or to store energy from renewable sources to be used during peak energy demands.
Even if the batteries have truly come to the end of their lifespan, they can be broken down, melted, and separated for recycling as at least 90% of the components of an EV battery can be recycled for future use.
Lithium-ion battery recycling facilities are now being built in anticipation of the influx of second hand EV batteries from the 1st generation mass market EVs including the 2011 Nissan LEAF. These facilities will take time to be fully operational as the amount of EVs on the market is still growing.
To be part of the EV conversation and find out more about accelerating the adoption of EV’s in the transition to cleaner, low-carbon economies in Europe, you can participate in Global EVRT’s ESCP Europe Electric Vehicle Road Trip (EVRT) and/or attend our E-Mobility Conferences in London and Paris…
Demystifying EVs - Part 2
This is our second piece about the misleading information and propaganda about EVs. In this blog, we will look at performance and EVs’ real impact on the environment. In a nutshell, EVs are a lot more fun to drive than fossil fuelled cars and they are also much better for the environment.
Range and Performance
MYTH: EVs are for sandal wearing liberals who don’t enjoy driving.
FACT: The Tesla Model S P100D takes 2.5 seconds to get to 60mph. That’s comparable with a $750,000 supercar.
The key difference between the way an internal combustion engine delivers its performance and the way an EV does is torque, which, as any car enthusiast knows is key to acceleration. There is no torque “curve” as with an internal combustion engine (ICE). Unlike combustion engines, torque in an EV is a straight line, as maximum torque is achieved from zero revs. This creates a unique driving experience as you leave even top end Mercs behind at the lights. In a quarter mile race, a Tesla Model S P100D Ludicrous can pretty much beat any internal combustion engine car in the world in a straight-line race.
Environment
You can imagine where the rumours that EVs are worse for the environment came from! Though we can’t prove it, it smacks of a PR agency hired by an oil company and told to make EVs look worse than fossil fueled cars.
MYTH: EVs just moves pollution from the tailpipe to the energy source.
FACT: One of the main differences of EVs from fossil fuel powered cars is that they get cleaner the cleaner the source of the electricity. Plug-ins can run on renewable electricity from sources such as the sun, wind and hydro powered generators.
Even if the source of the electricity is from the dirtiest coal powered power plant, based on the ‘Well To Wheel’ study of EVs vs fossil fuel powered vehicles, EVs are still significantly cleaner over their lifespan compared to their petrol or diesel equivalent.
MYTH: Battery chemicals are bad for the environment and can’t be recycled
FACT: Most electric car manufacturers offer a 10 year warranty on the lithium ion batteries that come with the cars as standard.
After years of use in an EV, the batteries will often have up to 80% capacity left. This means they can be repurposed into energy storage for the grid, houses, or to store energy from renewable sources to be used during peak energy demands.
Even if the batteries have truly come to the end of their lifespan, they can be broken down, melted, and separated for recycling as at least 90% of the components of an EV battery can be recycled for future use.
Lithium-ion battery recycling facilities are now being built in anticipation of the influx of second hand EV batteries from the 1st generation mass market EVs including the 2011 Nissan LEAF. These facilities will take time to be fully operational as the amount of EVs on the market is still growing.
To be part of the EV conversation and find out more about accelerating the adoption of EV’s in the transition to cleaner, low-carbon economies in Europe, you can participate in Global EVRT’s ESCP Europe Electric Vehicle Road Trip (EVRT) and/or attend our E-Mobility Conferences in London and Paris…