World Environment Day 2022: Benefits of Electric Vehicles on climate change and why you should buy one?

World Environment Day 2022: In contrast to internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs), electric vehicles (EVs) reduce emissions while offering low-cost mobility solutions.

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Over the last decade, there has been an increase in the use of vehicles across the globe. While facilitating ease of transportation, they are gradually impacting our health and environment. Most vehicles use fuels and emit pollutants like nitrogen oxides and carbon dioxide. These emissions impact the air quality severely. Recent research states that the road transportation segment emits around 123 million tonnes of carbon dioxide every year. In addition to this, the high usage of crude oil and fuel further depletes natural resources. The increasing pollution has led to worldwide reforms. Organizations are devising ways to reduce the depletion of natural resources by adopting eco-friendly practices.

In the wake of the forthcoming environmental crisis, the Government of India joined the 2015 Paris Climate Summit and pledged to abide by the climate goals for the next ten years. The initiative to minimize the exhausting natural resources pushed the gradual adoption of battery-powered electronic mobility. In contrast to internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs), electric vehicles (EVs) reduce emissions while offering low-cost mobility solutions. By providing energy security, the battery segment in the mobility space minimized the dependence on fossil fuels.

While facing numerous setbacks like supply chain issues and lack of support from higher echelons like state and central government, the electric vehicle industry soon gained acceptance in the transportation sector. As a result, the battery revolution turned the electric vehicle (EV) market into a lucrative space for both government and automobile manufacturers. Revolutionizing the Indian transport market, an increased number of manufacturers are slowly shifting the low-cost clean mobility solutions.

Here are some of the significant environmental benefits of EVs

- Vehicles with internal combustion engines (ICE) use petrol and diesel as fuel and emit massive amounts of carbon dioxide. As a result, it affects the environment and causes global warming. On the other hand, electric vehicles like cars, bikes, and scooters run on electric power.

- When compared to traditional vehicles, electric vehicles have fewer moving parts. This creates less friction while providing a soundless experience. Moreover, electric vehicles cut down fossil fuel depletion and provide optimum power for seamless transportation.

- The fully automatic electric vehicles use a cleaner energy source. Most Nordic countries have reduced their usage of fuels for power generation and vehicles, resulting in more greener spaces. With the gradual adoption of electric vehicles, this can eventually be achieved in other countries too.

- Internal combustion engine vehicles have 51% more potential to cause global warming than battery electric vehicles. One of the significant advantages of electric vehicles is that it causes almost negligible emissions resulting in reduced road temperature. This further helps in reducing global warming.

- More electric vehicle manufacturers are using eco-friendly methods of production. The gradual adoption of recyclable materials used for electric vehicles will further boost carbon neutrality in the longer run.

The gradual adoption of electric vehicles across boundaries

Reducing the impact of global warming and pollution, there is a greater need for wide-scale adoption across the globe. China has a higher number of electric vehicles when compared to India, the UK, and the US, but the large scale of coal power plants in the country makes it a major contributor to the looming environmental degradation and pollution. Meanwhile, the gradual adoption of electric vehicles by large countries like India can reduce the pollution caused by carbon emissions.

Research shows that carbon dioxide emissions from ICE vehicles will reach 721 tonnes by 2025 in India. Therefore, it is the need of the hour to adopt the environment-friendly mode of transportation that helps in energy security. With the gradual adoption of methods to reverse the impact on the environment, the government of India paced up with the PLI (Production-Linked Incentive) scheme.

It offers incentives on electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles with advanced technology components. The production of electric vehicles requires lithium cells which comprise 40-60% of the final product cost. The low availability of lithium batteries makes electric vehicles unaffordable for the masses. Whereas the PLI scheme will improve the availability of lithium cells by aiding major players in the lithium battery production segment. As a result, electric vehicles will become affordable and accessible to a larger chunk of the population.

Final Note

The transportation segment is gradually shifting to electric vehicles with the increasing concern of pollution and environmental degradation. A wide-scale adoption will reduce the depletion of natural resources and minimize the effects of pollution. The advancements in technology and government initiatives will further enhance the growth of the electric vehicle industry in the coming years.

This article is authored by Sushant Kumar, CEO & MD of Amo Mobility. All views are personal.