Does Electric Vehicles help Reduce Pollution & Decarbonize the planet?

Electric Vehicles are extraordinarily heavy and the larger their batteries, the heavier they become. This makes it more dangerous, increases pollution, minimizes decarbonization and locks in a geopolitically fraught reliance on China.

Hybrid vehicles are electric most of the time, but can fall back to an internal combustion engine, when required are much more efficient use of battery resources.

When Numbers matters

Toyota has what it calls the 1:6:90 rule. Its scientists have calculated that the amount of raw material required to make a long-range EV could instead be used to make 6 plug in electric hybrid vehicles or 90 hybrid vehicles.

The overall carbon reduction of those 90 hybrids over their lifetime is 37 times as much as single battery EV.

Between the lines

Heavy EV’s might not have tail pipe emissions, but they still cause pollution, from eroding tires, road dust as well as brakes.

These are significantly more lethal when they collide with pedestrians or cyclists.

Bottom line

Government policy must match a limited battery supply to where it an have the maximum impact for consumers and the environment.