EV & RE myth busting time, again.
A blog for the many EV skeptics going on with their whataboutery.
Wrt India, the first argument used is of Electricity generation. Yes, we are coal reliant, for now. We are pushing towards Renewable Energy at an increasing pace. Here's the current breakdown of installed capacity.
India has achieved >40% installed RE capacity, years ahead of its 2030 goal.
India aims to achieve ~50% of its energy via renewables by 2030, as announced by PM at CoP26.
Another question asked is, what in case of a natural disaster? or war? Well these circumstances are not normal. How would you transport oil or coal during a disaster?
Renewables and Energy Storage are best answer in these case. How? Micro Grids. Locally produced and stored energy, not dependent on a far more centralised system as in case of fossil fuels. Disruption in one place won’t affect others.
But what about battery production? Yes, it is increasing every day. More and more companies are jumping in to make batteries. Here’s a forecast from Benchmark Minerals. Production by 2030 could easily exceed these.
Battery tech advancement is just starting. More companies are jumping into R&D and production. Cost of batteries and RE weren’t at a level a decade earlier as they are today. No one solution needs to fit every place, RE and Batteries fit most. Humans will sort out rest also.
Another point often raised is minerals required for batteries. World has enough of them. Innovation is continuing to make batteries and vehicles efficient. LFP batteries use much more common materials. They have '0' cobalt use. Research on Sodium Ion batteries is going in also.
For those unaware, cobalt is used much more in fossil fuel industry than in batteries. It is extensively used for desulfurization.
You CAN NOT recycle fossil fuels, but YOU CAN recycle batteries. And it is not something that will happen in future, it’s happening now. Redwood Materials, Tesla Giga Nevada, Attero in India are some examples of companies recycling batteries.
Here is great video by CNBC about the same:
"Attero Recycling has also partnered with MG Motors to recycle Li-ion batteries fitted in the brand's ZS EV units."
Tesla also has battery recycling at Giga Nevada. And every new Tesla Battery Cell factory is going to have recycling facility also. No one is going to waste these precious batteries now.
But what about power source, if it's from coal it is no use?
Well, EVs are cleaner even when powered by fossil energy.
As reported in Forbes--
"A new study by the universities of Exeter and Cambridge in the UK and Nijmegen in the Netherlands has concluded that electric cars lead to lower carbon emissions overall, even if electricity generation still relies on fossil fuels."
"The idea that electric vehicles or electric heat pumps could increase emissions is essentially a myth," said lead author Dr. Florian Knobloch, from the University of Nijmegen. "Even in our worst-case scenario, there would be a reduction in emissions in almost all cases."
It is also shown in Tesla’s 2020 impact report. Lifetime emissions in EU, NA & China. The chart comparing China’s average emissions to a province in china with green grid shows that in both cases, EVs are cleaner than ICE.
Here’s more proof. ICCT report. EVs are cleaner, even in India.
Here’s another India specific ICCT report-
"EVs can get cleaner over their lifetimes as the energy that powers them gets cleaner. India is already deploying renewables at a healthy rate, and a delay in switching to EVs would result in, among other things, a failure to capture the full gains possible from the cleaner grid as it materializes. And passenger cars are often on the road for 15 years in India."
And even if it wasn’t for Climate Crisis, EVs are far better because they help reduce local air pollution. There’s no noise. There’s possibility to ‘fuel’ at home, even using Solar. None of this is possible incase of ICE.
Here’s a great representation from PluginIndia. No one takes in account emissions for production, refining & transportation of fossil fuels when they compare to EVs.
As per report-
"By weight, 40% of maritime trade consists either of fossil fuels on their way to be burned or of chemicals derived directly from fossil fuels."
It is just insane.
EVs are just ridiculously efficient compared to anything else. And it is something that isn’t changing. EVs will remain efficient.
But are EVs enough? No. We need revolution in industries also. And that’s where hydrogen has potential, not on road transportation. Here are brilliant 2 part articles on hydrogen.
Separating hype from Hydrogen: The Supply Side
"Hydrogen’s role in the final energy mix of a future net-zero emissions world will be to do things that cannot be done more simply, cheaply and efficiently by the direct use of clean electricity and batteries."
Can EVs be absolutely clean? No. No human activity will ever be absolutely clean. Are EVs relatively clean? Yes. Can they be made more cleaner? Yes. How? With improvement in battery tech, vehicle efficiency & renewable energy.
Overtime grid is going to get greener, so will EVs. Overtime a ICE is going to get dirtier.
You can also read one of our previous blog countering some myths also.
And time to focus on hybrids was few years ago, not now. Main focus need to be BEVs.
Here's our blog on this.
Solution to fossils isn’t instant, it will take time & will only happen if we start now. To be fair, should have started a few decades earlier, but anyway.
Right now, we don’t need to be stuck in the propaganda of businesses/persons who benefit from fossils.
Not to mention fuel & maintenance savings on a EV. Go Electric to save money, if not for environment.
Nikhil Chaudhary & Garvit Singh
Team Tesla Club India
Building a Community For The Future.