The Environmental Impact of Electric Vehicles

Interest in electric vehicles is strengthening , especially among younger generations. New government incentives designed to spur consumers to buy EV – including tax breaks and infrastructure spending to install high-power, faster-filling EV stations across the nation – are expected to boost the market considerably in years to come.

Sep 14, 2023 • Updated Feb 20, 2025 • 4 min read

The Environmental Impact of Electric Vehicles

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Overview#

Electric vehicles, also known as EVs, are powered by electricity stored in a battery or a fuel cell instead of gasoline or a diesel-like conventional vehicle. While conventional vehicles have internal combustion engines, electric vehicles have electric motors. Most electric vehicles have batteries that need to be charged more often than gas tanks need to be refilled. While it’s possible to use a regular 15 Amp 120-Volt AC outlet to charge most electric vehicles, it is not practical to do so as it could take almost two days to fully charge an EV; thus 20-60 Amp 240 Volt AC outlets are more suitable. Alternatively for very fast charging, 480 Volt DC super chargers are available for some EV cars, such as Teslas, that provide a 200-mile range in about 30 minutes.

Most American vehicle owners still own gasoline vehicles. According to a 2021 Pew Research Center report, only 7% own an electric or hybrid vehicle. However, interest in electric vehicles is strengthening, especially among younger generations. According to the same report, 39% of respondents said that they were at least somewhat likely to consider purchasing an electric vehicle and 56% of Gen Z and 57% of Millenial respondents favored phasing out the production of gasoline vehicles by 2035. New government incentives designed to spur consumers to buy EV – including tax breaks and infrastructure spending to install high-power, faster-filling EV stations across the nation – are expected to boost the market considerably in years to come.

Assessments#

Energy efficiency, mileage, emissions, costs, maintenance, and convenience are several factors that are used to assess electric vehicles in comparison to gasoline vehicles. When it comes to energy efficiency, emissions, and maintenance, electric vehicles may be the best option. Electric vehicles are more energy efficient: electric vehicle batteries convert 59-62% of energy into vehicle movement while gasoline vehicle fuel converts only 17-21%. Their batteries are also why electric vehicles have a reduced carbon footprint, as electric vehicles do not produce any tailpipe emissions. Since electric vehicles do not require the same amount of maintenance as gasoline vehicles (for example, electric vehicles do not need oil changes), they can cost less for regular upkeep in the long run. According to the US Department of Energy, electric vehicles can usually go between 100 and 400+ miles on a single charge.

On the flip side, gasoline vehicles are a better option when considering driving range, convenience, and costs. Electric vehicles have a lower mileage after a recharge than gasoline vehicles after a tank refill. Electric vehicles are also less convenient than gasoline vehicles due to their longer charging time and fewer places to refill. Gas stations are everywhere. EV stations are still few and far between in many parts of the country. It can take 40-50+ hours for a level 1 charger to charge a battery electric vehicle to 80% and 5-6 hours for a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, while gasoline car drivers can take a few minutes to stop for gas and then continue driving.

Regarding upfront costs, electric vehicles are more expensive than gasoline vehicles: In 2022, the average price of an EV was about $18,000 more than a gasoline vehicle. However, electric vehicles may be less costly over time due to significantly less required maintenance, the government tax rebates as much as $7500, and electricity costing less in many states than gasoline on a per-mile basis.

Environmental Impacts#

One of the most significant ways in which electric vehicles are more environmentally friendly than gasoline vehicles is the fact that they do not produce tailpipe emissions. The tailpipes of gasoline vehicles emit greenhouse gasses, and these gasses can stay in the atmosphere for 100+ years. Since the batteries of electric vehicles do not emit any greenhouse gasses, they have a much lower carbon footprint than gasoline vehicles. According to the Alternative Fuels Data Center using 2021 data from the Energy Information Administration, annual emissions of CO2 equivalent for electric vehicles is about 2,817 pounds, and for gasoline vehicles is 12,594 pounds. Although some electric vehicle charging stations are powered by fossil fuels, they still have a lower amount of emissions than gasoline vehicles. The carbon footprint of electric vehicle batteries also continues to decrease, as electric vehicle battery manufacturers are setting guidelines to ensure that only renewable energy sources are used during production.

However, there has been increasing concern about the impacts from a huge surge in mining - mostly in the Global South – to produce the elements needed to make these longer-life batteries. Consumer interest in plug-in hybrids, cars that run on a much smaller battery for a limited range – usually between 30-50 miles, and then switch over to gas – is rising and some environmentalists consider plug-in hybrids the best option. This is because the batteries are considerably smaller so the impact on mining for the lithium, cobalt and nickel needed to make them, are less than full-EV cars. And most people’s daily car usage is within a 50-mile radius, meaning the vast majority of driving – with the exception of longer trips – can be accomplished with the electric part of the engine.

Health Impacts#

Increased greenhouse gas emissions affect not only the environment but also human health. For example, air pollution is harmful to respiratory health due to ground-level ozone. Transitioning from gasoline to electric vehicles can mitigate the health impacts caused by these emissions, which include but are not limited to illness and disease, worse physical and mental health conditions, and resource disruption. According to a 2020 Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health research study, expanding electric vehicle use in urban areas can have significant public health benefits. Lastly, next-generation EVs can be used in place of backup generators for a few days during extreme weather conditions and natural disasters.

Financial Impacts#

Although electric vehicles have a higher sticker price than gasoline vehicles, they are less expensive long term. It usually costs less to fuel an electric vehicle compared to a gasoline vehicle: according to a 2018 University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute study, the average cost to charge an electric vehicle was $485 a year, while the average cost to refill a gasoline vehicle’s tank was $1,117 a year. However, there are several factors that can affect the long-term costs of an electric vehicle, such as the vehicle’s efficiency and electricity costs. Additionally, electric vehicle maintenance costs are lower since they do not have internal combustion engines.

EV Battery Risks#

There are several safety risks associated with electric vehicle batteries. Some of them include the following:

Fire and explosion risk: Lithium-ion batteries can catch fire or explode if damaged, overheated, overcharged, or short-circuited.
Chemical exposure: Flammable electrolytes and toxic chemicals in lithium-ion batteries can expose individuals to skin and eye irritation, respiratory problems, and other health issues.
Electrical shock: Electric vehicle batteries can deliver a high-voltage shock if mishandled or damaged.
Thermal runaway: Thermal runaway can occur when a battery cell overheats, causing a chain reaction that can quickly lead to a fire or explosion.
Mechanical damage: If the battery pack is punctured or otherwise mechanically damaged, it can lead to leakage of the flammable electrolyte or even a short circuit.

It's important to note that electric vehicle manufacturers are aware of these risks and have implemented several safety measures to prevent them. However, it's still important to carefully handle electric vehicle batteries and follow the manufacturer's safe operation and maintenance guidelines.

Some safety risks associated with electric vehicle batteries include overheating, catching on fire, short circuits, and toxicity. These are all risks since electric vehicles are powered by lithium-ion batteries, which are known to be highly flammable. Although, the risk is quite low: in 2020, there were 25.1 fires per 100,000 sales of electric vehicles. Researchers are currently working to improve the safety of lithium-ion batteries—for example a flame-resistant lithium metal battery prototype is being developed at Deakin University in Australia.

AreaHub’s Knowledge Center is updated regularly and provides information drawing upon scientific studies and sources.

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