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In reference to a recent article: “EVs may be green but are they sustainable?” by Nolan Finley, one observation made by Mr. Carlos Tavares, chief executive at Stellantis, is quite important. He is “waving huge red flags the industry and worldwide governments are ignoring in locking themselves into electric vehicles as the solution for saving the planet.”
Mr. Tavares is on to something. The world cannot afford to ignore the issues that adversely affect the planet, including [yes] the dire effects of lithium extraction in the production of electric vehicles and the high carbon footprint associated with their manufacturing.
Although global marketing paints a picture of EVs as a sustainable panacea, they are more of a pain on the planet’s side.
Studies show that electric vehicle production comes at a high cost to the environment and results in higher carbon emissions compared to gas cars. Yes. Higher emissions! According to experts, an electric car creates 10-20 tons of carbon before one drives the first mile.
This is contrary to the narrative the “industry and worldwide governments” are pushing. In fact, the higher carbon emissions is due to the significant amount of energy required for the procurement of raw materials to build *ion-batteries.
The issue is not to question the energy-saving effect of electric cars. The issue is to understand and communicate the before-effect of mining for lithium [an indispensable ingredient in electric car batteries that is in short supply] and other materials such as cobalt.
This is the elephant in the room. Research shows that mining for lithium [and others] is far from being environmentally friendly. A report by “Friends of the Earth” states that lithium extraction inevitably harms the soil and causes air contamination. As demand rises, the mining impacts are “increasingly affecting communities where this is jeopardizing their access to water” and contaminating nearby rivers. Lithium extraction hurts natural resources and ancestral territories all over the world.
A new poll shows that 75 percent of U.S. adults cite saving money on gas as the main benefit of an EV, not environmental sustainability. Accordingly, EVs are more about economics and less about the environment.
One should heed Mr. Tavares’ concerns: EVs are not the solution to saving the planet, they are a growing concern. Sadly, the EV industry is suppressing the real facts. This is a “huge red flag” and one that must not continue to be swept under the tires.
EVs may save us on gas but they won’t save the globe.
(*China was the leading lithium-ion battery maker in the first quarter of 2022 with a market share of 35 percent.)
Respectfully submitted,
Dr. Karelia Martinez Carbonell,
Coral Gable resident and preservation advocate
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