The Electric Car Industry

Electric cars are an industry that is developing at breakneck speed. It is the same with batteries and charging infrastructure. One example is the venture whose mission is to build the world’s greenest battery. Therefore, it is directly misleading to present research results that are not new findings and insights. Several reports on the negative environmental impact of electric cars and batteries in the production line are based on studies that are 3-4 years old and often even older. They are often based on old truths and are sometimes even outright misleading. Examples from a recent report from the instead state that.

A typical electric car emits 29 percent less carbon dioxide compared to the most efficient internal combustion car. Electric cars are significantly more efficient than the equivalent petrol or diesel car. They can be driven much longer with a certain amount of energy and therefore contribute to lower emissions from fuel production and driving. An average electric car has run in the emissions from battery manufacturing in just two years, if charged with average electricity. That figure increases to three years in countries with dirtier electricity. Even if the electric car is charged with dirty current, and if the batteries are built in a dirty way, it emits more than the average fossil car.

Is the production of lithium-ion batteries for electric cars harmful to the environment? It can be. That much is quite clear. But how much or how little the carbon dioxide emission affects the environment depends on the energy mix of the country where the battery is manufactured, and how sustainable the factories are. How clean the electric cars are therefore differs depending on the country that manufactures them. In countries with nuclear power and renewable energy, the manufacturing process of lithium-ion batteries is more sustainable for the environment than in countries with a lot of coal power. And we’re getting better all the time. Countries with a lot of coal power such as japan and south korea are making room for renewable energy sources in the energy mix. At the same time, factories and manufacturing industries are being developed to be powered by renewable electricity.

It is good that the manufacture of lithium-ion batteries is being questioned. We welcome reports and investigations that shed light on the manufacturing process of lithium batteries. Not least in this age of fake news. Source criticism is important and perhaps above all when it comes to the environment and sustainability in general. But relevant comparisons and well-substantiated results must form the basis of the information presented. Drive your electric car with a clear conscience. You make a difference. Both now and for future development.