All we’ve heard about Electric cars is that they are good for the environment, produce less pollution, and are cheaper to maintain. But can it be all good? There have been rumors that electric vehicles are not all innocent, and after some digging, I found ten ways that electric vehicles produce pollution that you may now have known about. 

Manufacturing Emissions

Did you know that more pollution is emitted in the production of an electric car than that of an ICE vehicle? 

According to Internetwork for Sustainability, “Instead of reducing CO2 emissions in the short term, they will increase.” 

They explain, “On average, we look at some 4 tons of extra CO2 per electric car produced, which has to be offset by 0.5 tons annually of prevented emissions. According to these figures, it would take some eight years to break even. (Given Electric Cars run on 100% renewable energy).”

Mining Impact

Electric cars require several rare earth metals, including lithium, cobalt, and nickel. The issue is twofold: first, earth metals are limited in quantity since they are not renewable sources. Eventually, we will run out of these metals. Secondly, mining these earth metals takes a lot and can lead to habitat destruction and soil and water pollution. 

Earth.org shares that “producing one ton of lithium (enough for ~100 car batteries) requires approximately 2 million tons of water, which makes battery production an extremely water-intensive practice.”

Increased Electricity Demand

The only way electric vehicles are better for the environment is if the electricity used to charge them comes from renewable energy sources. No good is being done if electricity is sourced from fossil fuels. Since electric cars will increase the demand for electricity, this could mean extra pollution from fossil fuels that we haven’t accounted for. 

Research still supports that electric cars are overall better for the environment, but it’s important to realize that EVs are not all innocent. While they are a needed change from ICE cars, the reality is that our quest for green transportation can’t end with the EV revolution. We have to continue to search for alternatives that will eliminate pollution efficiently.