The environmental downside of electric vehicles
By
Michael Heberling
|
September 14th, 2024
At one time, “Saving the Environment” and “Fighting Climate Change” were synonymous. That is no longer true. The quest for Clean Energy through electric vehicles (EVs) epitomizes “the end justifies the means.”
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), an electric vehicle requires six times the mineral inputs of a comparable internal combustion engine vehicle (ICE). EV batteries are very heavy and are made with some exotic, expensive, toxic, and flammable materials.
The primary metals in EV batteries include Nickel, Lithium, Cobalt, Copper, and Rare Earth metals (Neodymium and Dysprosium). The mining of these materials, their use in manufacturing, and their ultimate disposal all present significant environmental challenges. Ninety percent of the ICE lead-acid batteries are recycled, while only five percent of the EV lithium-ion batteries are.
https://www.cfact.org/2024/09/14/the-environmental-downside-of-electric-vehicles/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-environmental-downside-of-electric-vehicles&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-environmental-downside-of-electric-vehicles