Electric vehicles (EVs) have been a hot topic for a while now, especially since the Inflation Reduction Act, which was signed in 2022, introduced several options for tax credits related to electric vehicles. In order to promote a more thorough understanding of this increasingly important topic[1], this blog post will explain the sustainability impact of EVs and some things to consider if you are thinking of purchasing one!
Photo courtesy of weareiowa.com
[1] The International Energy Agency noted that “electric car markets are seeing exponential growth as sales exceeded 10 million in 2022. A total of 14% of all new cars sold were electric in 2022, up from around 9% in 2021 and less than 5% in 2020.”
What are EVs?
There are three kinds of electric vehicles: battery electric vehicles (BEVs), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). A BEV relies completely on its battery and has no gas engines. Examples of BEVs include all Tesla models, the Ford Mustang Mach-E, and several Chevrolet vehicles: the Equinox, Blazer, and Silverado are all offered in electric models.
A hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) has a gas engine, but also includes a battery pack. One of the best known examples of this type of EV is the Toyota Prius, which can be powered exclusively by its battery pack at low speeds and for short distances. The battery pack is recharged by the car’s regenerative braking system, so it does not need to be plugged in like other types of EVs. In fact, the Toyota Prius does not even have an option to be plugged in, simply because there is no need!
HEVs can be broken down into two further categories. The Prius, specifically, is considered a parallel hybrid, meaning the battery and engine cooperate to power the vehicle. A series hybrid uses the gas engine as a generator to recharge the battery and increase the range of the vehicle. This is a minor difference; the most important thing to know about HEVs is the fact that there is an electric component, but it does not need to be plugged in to recharge; the gasoline engine and brakes take care of that! Additional examples of this kind of vehicle include the Toyota Corolla and in 2025, the Ramcharger.
Similar to an HEV, a PHEV has a battery but also uses gasoline. The battery is typically larger in a PHEV, so it can drive further only relying on electricity before it needs to use gasoline. While this type of vehicle can be plugged in to recharge its battery, it can also run solely in its hybrid mode, which means it does not have to be plugged in. Examples of PHEVs include the Ford Escape, the Toyota RAV4 Prime, and the Jeep Wrangler 4xe.
Image courtesy of biz-reps.com
What makes EVs sustainable?
Through comparing the emissions resulting from the extraction, transportation, and refining of fuel for EVs and gasoline-powered vehicles, the Union of Confirmed Scientists (UCS) estimated that, as of 2018, “driving the average EV produces global warming pollution equal to a gasoline vehicle that gets 88 miles per gallon (mpg) fuel economy.” For reference, the most efficient gas-powered car at the time averaged 58 mpg; the average new gas-powered car averaged 31 mpg; and the average new gas-powered truck averaged 21 mpg. In general, the climate benefits of switching to an electric vehicle depend on the type of energy that is used to power it. For example, an EV powered by solar energy is more efficient than the same model of EV powered by coal. However, regardless of the energy source, EVs produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions than gasoline-powered vehicles. To learn more about their comparison, read the UCS article about the impact of electric vehicles on the climate.
One common concern brought up during discussions about EVs is the environmental and social impacts of producing the vehicles and their batteries. According to the UCS, the increased greenhouse gas emissions associated with producing electric vehicle batteries can be offset by the overall operating efficiency in approximately 16 months, and potentially as soon as six months! After that point, EVs are more energy efficient than gasoline cars for the rest of the time they are in use. The time it will take to reach that point will only decrease as production methods become more efficient and new production technology develops.
In terms of social sustainability, many consumers have raised concerns about the working conditions in the countries that produce much of the metals used in the production of EV batteries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which Yale Environment360 notes produces more than 70% of the world’s cobalt. Increased transparency by companies can assure customers that they are purchasing EVs that are as environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable as possible. The Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance is one way companies are making this change; it offers an independent assessment of a company’s mined materials and makes the results publicly available. There are four achievement levels for mines depending on how many requirements they meet in their assessment; to learn more about the requirements for the IRMA Standard, visit IRMA’s Assessment webpage. BMW Group; Ford Motor Company; General Motors Company; Mercedes-Benz Group AG; Rivian; Tesla, Inc.; and Volkswagen AG are all listed as members, and there are many others outside of the automotive industry. More information about member companies can be found on the IRMA Members/Partners page.
Image courtesy of IRMA
Researchers are exploring the production of batteries completely free of nickel and cobalt, which could completely bypass some of the emissions currently associated with the production of EVs. This battery, called a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, uses iron instead of nickel and cobalt to power the vehicle. This is an important “trade” because nickel and cobalt are environmentally costly to produce, and cobalt in particular poses some significant social sustainability challenges as discussed above. Nickel prices are also quite volatile. Lithium, on the other hand, which is present in traditional batteries as well as LFPs is more plentiful. However, this battery, which was introduced in the early 2000s, is not as energy-dense as traditional lithium ion batteries. That means LFPs cannot hold as much power, so the range of these vehicles is reduced. However, this technology has proven successful in China- 44% of the EVs sold there use LFP batteries. It has also grown in popularity in the United States despite its earlier challenges- the Tesla Model 3 with rear-wheel drive contains an LFP battery, although it does have a slightly lower range than the other Model 3 variants (~270 vs. ~300).
Although the LFPs are less energy dense, they can be charged more frequently, including being charged up to 100% regularly. This is not recommended with batteries using nickel and cobalt, because doing so may diminish the battery life. There are also some challenges associated with recycling these batteries- although they are able to be used for longer, once their lifespan is up, the recycling process is more economically challenging than recycling nickel and cobalt batteries. However, it will be exciting to see if recycling LFP batteries becomes easier as they become more widely used and the process becomes more cost-effective. To read more about LFP batteries and their advantages and challenges, read this article from CNN Business.
Photo courtesy of City of Ames
Things to consider - cost and rebates
To decide if an electric vehicle is right for you, there are many resources out there that can help. Tools from the U.S. Department of Energy can help you compare vehicle costs and fuel savings. The Inflation Reduction Act, which was signed into law in August of 2022, also makes available several tax credits- including some related to EVs. You also may want to see if your city offers any incentives or rebates! For example, Ames, where I am writing this from, offers a rebate of up to $500 for the installation of a Level 2 EV charger. Level 2 chargers are common in single family homes or in public- they are faster than Level 1 chargers, but do not require as much electricity as a Level 3 charger, which are generally found in public where there are opportunities to charge multiple EVs at once. The image below provides a helpful comparison of the different types of chargers! To learn more about this rebate (and all of the others offered), visit the City of Ames Smart Energy Rebates page. If you do not live in Ames, explore your city’s website or reach out to a city staff or council member- they'll be able to point you in the right direction!
Image courtesy of city of Phoenix: https://www.phoenix.gov/sustainability/electricvehicles/charging-basics
Things to consider - finding chargers
If you find yourself wondering about the availability of EV chargers in your area or while you are traveling, know that you are not the only one! This is a common concern that people raise with EVs, and for good reason- nobody wants to be stranded on the side of the road because their car ran out of charge! However, there are many websites you can use to find chargers and plan ahead of time: a few of them include PlugShare.com, ChargeFinder.com, ChargeHub.com, and maps.google.com. There are also countless apps that serve the same function! Some of these resources may require an account in order to save your charger settings, but they are all free. Take some time to explore them and find which ones work the best for you!
Conclusion
While electric vehicles still have some hurdles to overcome, the technology has come a long way and will likely continue advancing rapidly in the coming years. Between improved battery ranges, a growing network of charging stations, cost incentives like the federal tax credit, and efforts to make battery production more sustainable and equitable, EVs are becoming a viable and attractive option for more drivers.
With the impacts of climate change becoming increasingly clear and urgent, transitioning to electric transportation where possible is one step we can all take to reduce our carbon impact. Overall, there are compelling environmental, economic and performance arguments in favor of electric vehicles. For anyone curious about making the switch, I hope this blog post provided a useful overview of EVs and the factors to consider when deciding if one may be the right choice. With continued efforts on many fronts, EVs show great promise to become the new normal in the not-too-distant future.
About The Author
Elizabeth Smith is a Summer 2024 Green Iowa AmeriCorps member serving with Polk County Public Works, and is currently working towards getting her Master's in both Community & Regional Planning and Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University!
Her future goals are to work as the Sustainability Director for a city or university. In her free time Elizabeth enjoys reading, running, lifting weights, and spending time with her friends and family. Fun fact: this photo was taken on a spring break trip to Uganda!