What The EV Makers Won’t Tell You

Electric vehicles are touted to change the car industry forever. They’re the disruptive element that was long due to transform the automotive sector. Much has been said about their potential benefits over recent years, with Tesla often positioned as the vanguard of this shift. This shift compelled many traditional giants like Mercedes to rethink and enter this market.

However, a pertinent question arises: Are these traditional giants embracing EVs due to their alleged environmental benefits, or are their ulterior motives at play? While this discussion is for another day, I want to reveal the manufacturing process of EVs and the reality behind the rhetoric. Is it truly the green dream, or is it just another marketing gimmick?

Let’s begin.

Electric vehicles are truly more energy efficient than regular petrol/diesel counterparts. These vehicles typically convert somewhere between 55% and 65% of energy into the automobile’s movement. The percentage might vary a bit more based on conditions and the type of automobile, but in normal test case scenarios, this is fairly the range. And that’s really good!

Internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles (aka petrol/diesel powered) translate a meagre 17% to 21% of energy into movement, and there’s a significant energy loss in the process.

This energy efficiency factor translates not only into cost savings (fuel/energy usage) but also aligns with the global shift towards renewable energy sources. This is vital because we don’t want to drive our EVs powered by coal-generated electricity.

Electricity generation by renewable sources or low-carbon energy has increased, which has attracted more investment. Investments in clean energy have increased by 40% since 2020.

However, amidst all these positives lie significant challenges.

Despite an increase in renewable energy adoption and investment, roughly 75% of global energy generation still comes from non-renewable sources. That is a substantial quantity!

In countries like India, which has been identified as a major market for EVs, 70% of the energy is still realised from non-renewable sources.

It’s imperative to realise that the ‘environmental benefits’ from EVs are contingent on a sustained supply of renewable energy and a long life span. Consumers will have to use their EVs for at least 20 years to truly benefit the environment.

Now, let’s explore something interesting that is less discussed in the media and is not even mentioned by the electric car makers: the battery!

EV batteries are laden with rare earth elements (rare earths are a group of 17 elements in the periodic table known as the Lanthanide series) and pose environmental and ethical concerns. They are heavy, which leads to wear and tear of tyres at a quicker rate, and they are composed of toxic and flammable materials. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), an EV uses six times the mineral inputs compared to a standard internal combustion vehicle.

The extraction of materials like nickel, cobalt, lithium and copper entails significant environmental damage, often coupled with human rights abuse, such as child labour in cobalt mines.

Nickel

Indonesia and the Philippines are the largest producers of nickel. The concern is not the abundance of nickel deposits but the rate and method of mining them.

Nickel extraction occurs primarily at the surface level. Vast areas of forest land are being cleared in Indonesia to extract nickel for car batteries. The absence of stringent regulations is the primary cause of Indonesia’s situation. The government is to blame. The indiscriminate mining due to the bludgeoning demand is not only disrupting habitats but is also polluting water bodies, adversely affecting coral reefs and marine life, and displacing local communities.

Someone aptly puts it, “that soon the EV makers will say it was necessary to destroy the rainforests in order to save the planet.”

Lithium

Lithium mining is a complicated process and comes with its own set of challenges. It is found in salt pans in arid areas and embedded in a multi-mineral mixture, which complicates the mining process, according to the Institute of Energy Research. It takes roughly 12-18 months to extract Lithium, which is very water intensive. Each ton of lithium produced requires 500,000 gallons of water.

The left-over mineral salt mixture is inadequately processed before being released into the water, often leading to water and soil contamination.

Copper

Chile is the world’s leading producer of copper. Most of Chile’s copper comes from open pit/strip mines, which impact the topsoil and, in turn, have severe repercussions on the vegetation cover and groundwater. The resulting destruction seriously threatens biodiversity, affecting the wildlife population.

Cobalt

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) boasts abundant cobalt deposits, accounting for 70% of the global production.

Cobalt mining in the DRC is plagued by major issues of child labour, with workers exposed to toxic cobalt dust without any protective gear. It is causing a severe health crisis. Workers are having lung conditions, and their hearts are getting affected, and it is also causing limb and spine birth defects!

The Chinese Gambit

Most of these mines are Chinese owned. China is the major hub for battery production. This underscores China’s importance in the EV industry but also gives them the responsibility of protecting human rights.

EV Manufacturers’ Ethical Responsibility

But the onus doesn’t solely rest on China. EV makers must also shoulder their share of responsibility. No more turning a blind eye, no more excuses about costs.

Considering these challenges, it is imperative to reconsider the narrative surrounding EVs. While EVs offer a promising alternative to traditional fossil fuel vehicles, their environmental credentials are marred with a detrimental impact to the same.

Oil is at least homogenously present around the world. The drilling process can be improved, oil spills must be avoided at all costs, and a slow transition towards renewable energy must occur.

As we strive for a more sustainable future, we must also consider how we obtain these materials for EVs.  We must invest in research and development to devise environmentally responsible methods of obtaining such elements. Additionally, we must explore other technologies like hydrogen-powered vehicles. By prioritising ethical and regulatory oversights across the EV supply chain, we can ensure a more equitable and sustainable transition to a clean transport future.

The poor should no longer be exploited by the affluent. A true sustainable future can exist only through non-exploitative sustainable business.