Electric cars offer a cleaner, more sustainable future. By transitioning to electric vehicles (EVs), we can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality, and decrease our dependence on fossil fuels. EVs are energy-efficient, cost-effective, and can be charged anywhere there is a plug socket. They offer a quiet, smooth driving experience with lower maintenance costs compared to traditional internal combustion engines.
Supporting electric car adoption is essential for combating climate change, promoting environmental health, and fostering technological innovation. Let’s drive forward into a greener, healthier world by embracing electric vehicles and advocating for policies that support their widespread use.
The Going Electric revolution is well underway, here we will set out the benefits of taking the step away from burning fuels to plugging in.
Environmental.
The most obvious benefit is to the local environment thanks to the low noise and absence of local emissions generated from EV’s, our streets get quieter and cleaner step by step as EV adoption continues apace.
Looking beyond our local environment - EV’s have a far smaller CO2 impact than conventional cars, a typical unit of electricity in the UK will have needed 125g of CO2 in its generation, and that unit will propel the average EV around four miles giving an approximate CO2 per mile of 30g, compared with the average car in the UK that emits 211g per mile. Additionally, the UK electrical grid carbon intensity gets lower every year, by 2030 the CO2 per mile will be down to 10g per mile or less, twenty times fewer CO2 emissions than a conventional car!
There have been many conversations about the energy needed to build EV’s, and it is true that until now EV’s have had a higher manufacturing footprint, but the data is very clear that after a short period that is outweighed by the more efficient day to day running of the vehicles.
Furthermore, as time goes on the grid becomes less carbon intensive not just here but around the world further improving that situation.
Many innovations have come to market in recent years and there are more to follow in terms of battery composition and chemistry, the so-called rare earth metals are not as scarce as once thought and with recycling mandates in place the precious metals in batteries have in theory infinite use.
For a factual dive into the many myths surrounding EV's take a look at this excellent short publication from FairCharge by clicking here
Financial,
EV’s can be extremely cheap to run, with an overnight charging tariff costs can be as low a 2p per mile. For those that need to charge on the public network that will rise to between 10 and 15p per mile. In time as charging becomes a more normalised service and renewables dominate the grid those costs are expected to fall. Maintenance costs are also low, with far fewer components to fail.
EV’s also benefit from favourable tax exemptions, those cannot be expected to last but are currently a further benefit.
The costs of new EV’s is lower with every passing year, and many can now be bought at prices equivalent to their conventional cousins, the second hand market is also very much alive. You can read more by clicking here.
If you would like to read about local people’s experiences of EV ownership, then please click here.
If you would like to chat with local EV owners and find out about local events then please join the IsleEV Facebook group here.
