Do electric vehicles (EVs)
really
provide a cleaner source of transportation?
Yes.
Electric engines are so efficient that they produce less than 40% as much greenhouse
emissions as gas-powered vehicles produce.
EVs reduce carbon emissions by more than 80% per mile.
They also reduce the amount
of volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) by up to 90% per mile.
EVs achieve these reductions when charged on the electric power grid. Charging
one with a renewable energy system like solar or wind power will make it even
cleaner 1 .
Are traditional cars really that bad?
The emissions from cars traveling in a region make driving the largest source
of air pollution in cities2.
Gasoline and diesel powered motor vehicles generate almost 25% of the pollutants
responsible for climate change3.
In addition to CO2, mobile emissions sources contain:
- Hydrocarbons
- Nitrogen Oxides (NOx)
- Carbon Monoxide
Even though these chemicals remain nearly invisible
until they combine to form smog, public health problems from
vehicle emissions cost the US approximately $40 to $64 billion per year.
Exposure to emissions may lead to health problems such as:
- Asthma attacks
- Hodgkin's disease
- Lymphoma
- Lung Cancer 4
Air pollution from vehicle emissions can also create water quality problems
and combine into new chemicals that damage buildings and crops. |
