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Muir
Jonathan Muir

Professor Rebecca Morean

English 1201.509

22 October 2021

Are Electric Cars Really “The Future?”

Ever since I was a kid, I have loved going fast in cars. From the movie cars to playing

with toys, I spent a lot of time with the idea of racing. It didn’t matter if it was my uncles

Corvette or my dad’s pickup, my interest in cars dealt with the loud eight-cylinder engines. The

pure thought of American automobiles evokes images of classic cars in beautiful pastel colors

like placid blue or fiesta red. Classic muscle cars, with their engines roaring, embody a true sense

of America, loud and proud. These classic cars also embody something else America has become

known for: pollution. With concerns over the worsening crisis in the environment, more and

more actions are being taken to cut the pollution that is so common in the life of Americans. One

way people are looking to reduce emissions is by switching to electric cars. As someone who

loves the sound of the internal combustion engines, I was incredibly skeptical. However, with

increases in technology it has become clear that even though electric cars still contribute to

pollution, electric cars will take over the automobile market as the technology matures, due to

their similar or better performance to gasoline cars, their benefits to the environment (especially

as more green energy is developed), and their proven effectiveness as a means of daily

transportation.

Electric cars are a completely different approach to the automobile. Gasoline or Diesel

vehicles using internal combustion engines utilize sparks to explode fuel in order to create a

propulsion, pushing a piston down. This propulsion physically twists the crankshaft on an
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engine, in turn turning the driveline and then the wheels. Electric vehicles do not have pistons to

twist a crankshaft, and instead rely on electric motors to turn the wheels. Electric motors are

made up of magnets, which use alternating currents to switch polarity, changing the attraction

and repulsion between the magnets incredibly rapidly, leading the motor to rotate. This rotation

of the motor, or in some case motors, causes the driveline to turn, rotating the wheels and

creating propulsion (Markus).

Electric cars are not exactly a completely new idea. In fact, despite people thinking that

Tesla pioneered the electric car market, the first electric cars were produced in the mid-1800s,

when chemist William Morrison made the first American electric car, a “six-passenger vehicle

capable of a top speed of 14 miles per hour” (Matulka). However, electric vehicles did not last

long due to their high cost compared to widely accessible gasoline models that became available,

like the Model T from Ford (Matulka). Because of the high cost of the electric vehicles when

compared to the price of gasoline cars, electric vehicles were put on the back burner, leading to

the high popularity and development of gasoline cars and a lack of innovation in the electric car

market. Although electric cars were some of the first cars ever made, they wouldn’t take off until

more development was completed in the future.

As more and more companies have begun to offer electric vehicle alternatives, consumers

have started to purchase an increasing quantity of electric vehicles. Electric car sales grew by

17% between 2016 and 2020 in the United States (DeSilver), and according to PolicyAdvice.net,

“The US sold 328,118 electric cars in 2018,” highlighting an increase in buyer confidence in

electric vehicles in the United States (Kopestinsky). PolicyAdvice.net also states that “by 2040,

58% of global passenger vehicle sales will come from electric vehicles,” leading them to make

up a higher percentage of the cars on the road when compared to today (Kopestinsky). As more
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and more consumers see electric cars as viable options for everyday life, the popularity and

demand for electric vehicles has been increasing.

Governments have been trying to push their citizens to make the switch over to electric

cars, helping facilitate the growth in popularity of electric vehicles. Governments have been

helping fund charging stations, manufacturing, and development of electric cars. Because of their

high costs to manufacture, the United States government subsidizes up to $10,000 per car

(Lomborg). These government subsidies help remove the stress of the high price of electric cars

from the consumers, pushing more individuals to make the switch to electric cars. Other

countries have joined in subsidizing electric cars in order to push for their growth. One example

is Norway, who also offer benefits, such as “[Waiving] most costs, including taxes, tolls,

parking, and congestion surcharges” (Lomborg). Because of these increased benefits that the

citizens of Norway receive through subsidies, more individuals are pushed towards electric

vehicles, helping the country meet new emission standards and help the environment. These

subsidies have been highly successful in helping to push individuals towards electric cars to

grow their sales.

The United States is not the only country with rising electric vehicle popularity. In fact,

the United States only makes up 17% of electric vehicles worldwide. China leads the way with

over 4.5 million electric vehicles active in the country, 44% of all the electric vehicles worldwide

(DeSilver). However, the growth rate of sales of electrified vehicles in the United States has been

slowing, “largely due to the declining popularity of plug-in hybrids and the phaseout of federal

tax credits on some of the most popular models” (DeSilver). This slowing of sales in the United

States highlights the important role that federal tax credits have played in the growth of the

electric vehicle market. Because subsidies are fading away for older models, fewer individuals
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are picking them over gas alternatives, highlighting the importance of incentives for individuals

to switch to gasoline vehicles.

Individuals are realizing that opting to switch to electric vehicles over environmental

concerns, and for good reason. Rising emissions are threatening changes to the world’s climate

that are irreversible. One study over hybrid-electric vehicles found that “If you have a short

commute operating mainly in electric mode and charge your vehicle regularly, then you will

likely have emissions lower than the average manufacturer's value of 44g of CO2 per kilometre”

(Fly). These benefits over emissions highlight a large advantage that electrified vehicles have

over gasoline vehicles, their reduction of emissions. Because electric and hybrid cars can operate

off battery power instead of the power gained from combusting gasoline, the cars emit less

greenhouse gasses, and are much better for the environment. I interviewed chemistry teacher and

exclusive owner of electric vehicles Jennifer Chast to gain a better understanding of the electric

vehicle ownership experience, and she stated that emissions were the main reason she made the

switch.

One concern individuals have about electric vehicles is charging on the go. With Tesla,

all charging stations are completely free, but most individuals opt to charge at their home unless

they are out and about for long periods of time. However, this isn’t always the case with other

brands as “free EV charging stations are far less common than those where you pay” (Ganz).

Jennifer Chast also told me that “Charging is a non-issue.” She owns a small Mini Cooper with

one of the lowest ranges on the market, only 110 miles on a single charge (Stafford). When she is

going on a long road trip, like to New York, her and her family take their Tesla Model 3, which

offers 263 to 353 miles on a single charge, depending on the model (Dorian and Capparella).

Chast claims that “there are plenty of charging systems” and that they have never had a problem
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using the Mini (the lower range model) for around-town driving while using the Tesla (the one

with higher range) for longer trips.

Fig.1 Alissa Scheller, Number of public charging outlets, May 2021. 2021

This map of charging stations highlights a decent distribution of charging stations throughout

the country, with rural areas having the fewest. If one lives near cities, and travels along the

coasts, they likely will not have a problem with electric vehicle charging, as opposed to one who
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might live in a rural area, where chargers are scarce. As more and more areas construct

charging stations, electric vehicles will become more viable options, helping to facilitate their

widespread adoption.

Electric vehicles are not perfect. As a matter of fact, critics are quick to point out the

climate shortcomings that electric vehicles have. The production of electric car batteries causes a

fair amount of pollution. In fact, “According to the IEA, just producing the battery for an electric

car can emit almost a quarter as much of the greenhouse gases that a gasoline car emits across its

entire lifetime” (Lomborg). Because of the dirty production of electric car batteries, critics claim

that electric cars are not worth the development. However, as time goes on new technologies are

likely to come out that will help mitigate the polluting nature of the production of electric car

batteries, and greener solutions will arise as the platform matures, increasing the viability of

electric cars.

Another criticism of electric cars is the fact that they have to be recharged by power, and

most power comes from the burning of fossil fuels. Critics have even resorted to making fun of

electric cars for that reason, posting satirical images of cars connected to factories issuing out

plumes of black smoke. These critics are not wrong, as electricity “almost everywhere is

significantly fossil-fuel-based (though, in fairness, Quebec is an exception, with its almost

entirely hydro-produced electricity)” (Lomborg). This reliance on fossil fuels minimizes the

environmental cleanliness of electric cars, as they still rely on the burning and releasing of

chemicals into the atmosphere. However, an influx of countries around the world are switching

to more green energy, leading to changes in how the power grid is made up. This switch to green

energy is likely to decrease the environmental impact that electric cars have, leading them to be a

better option for maintaining the environment and preventing climate change.
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The impact electric cars have on emissions also varies depending on where one lives and

their lifestyle. The department of Road and Transport from Slovakia found that “it can be said

that from the local point of view the electric vehicles can contribute to reduction of CO

concentration in densely populated areas. However, from the global point of view, using the

electric vehicles does not weigh in on slowing down global warming” (Synák). Because of the

traffic in dense areas, individuals end up idling their vehicles as they sit and wait. This does not

use a lot of energy for electric vehicles but does require burning fuel for gasoline and diesel

vehicles, highlighting an advantage that electric vehicles have in small areas. This benefit is

minimized when individuals are in motion for longer trips, like in rural areas, highlighting the

range in the impact that electric vehicles have on emissions. This data is paralleled in hybrid

vehicles, with shorter drives lowering the emissions that hybrid vehicles have because they don’t

have to kick on their gasoline engine and can operate solely based off their electric drivetrain,

saving fuel, and cutting emissions (Fly). Therefore, it can be said that city owners will see a

greater change in emissions when switching to an electric or hybrid vehicles when compared to

rural owners.

Electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla has also come under some scrutiny for its selling of

its “carbon credits.” According to CNBC, “In the U.S., California and at least 13 other states

have rules surrounding regulatory credits. They require auto manufacturers to produce a certain

number of so-called zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) based on the total number of cars sold in that

particular state” and that “If [automotive manufacturers] can’t meet the target, they can buy them

from other companies that have excess credits” (Kharpal). Because Tesla sells their carbon

credits for profit, they use the environmental sustainability of their cars to bail out other

manufacturers that create vehicles that are not so environmentally friendly. This bailing out of
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other vehicle manufacturers gives off the image that Tesla is facilitating the production of dirty

vehicles for extra money, helping increase their revenue and causing them to still contribute to

the harming of the environment through vehicle emissions. To truly create change in vehicle

emissions, regulations must be put in place for all manufacturers in order for more green vehicles

to be produced, increasing the viability and sustainability of electric cars to help the

environment.

A large issue with relying on electric vehicles for climate change relief is the lack of an

impact that switching to electric vehicles will have. As a matter of fact, “Personal cars are only

about 7 percent of global emissions, and electric cars will help only a little” (Lomborg). If we

want to make a large impact on climate change, switching to electric cars should not be our main

worry. The data shows that “If the whole world follows through and gets to 140 million electric

cars by 2030, the IEA estimates that will reduce emissions by just 190 million tons of carbon

dioxide--a mere 0.4 percent of global emissions.” and that hybrid cars like the Toyota Prius save

about the same amount of CO2 emissions as electric vehicles throughout their lifetime

(Lomborg). It takes almost 38 thousand miles for an electric car to be a better option in terms of

emissions than a gasoline car, going back to the dirty process of manufacturing electric cars and

the burning of carbon-based fuels that go into the power grid (Lomborg). All of these

shortcomings highlight the greater need for change in other areas in order to help with climate

change, not just switching the types of automobiles that individuals drive, in order to help save

our planet.

Electric cars are certainly a cool new technology with a considerable amount of

innovation and development behind them. As a tech lover, I think they are an incredibly neat

concept. The fact that they are becoming more and more viable for the average consumer,
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highlights the increase and development behind the topic at hand. An invasion companies are

jumping on the electric vehicle train, changing automotive culture for the better and increasing

the market share of electric vehicles. Although they certainly have their shortcomings, electric

vehicles have rocked the automotive market, and have made a huge impact. Electric cars are

going to be the future of what people drive, and they are here to stay, with great performance,

better emissions, and increasing development in their manufacturing and everyday drivability

only making them better options for a greener future.

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Works Cited

Chast, Jennifer. Personal Interview. 27 Oct. 2021.

DeSilver, Drew. “Today's Electric Vehicle Market: Slow Growth in U.S., Faster in China,

Europe.” Pew Research Center, Pew Research Center, 10 June 2021,

https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/06/07/todays-electric-vehicle-market-slow-

growth-in-u-s-faster-in-china-europe/.

Dorian, Drew, and Joey Capparella. “2021 Tesla Model 3 Review, Pricing, and Specs.” Car and

Driver, Hearst Digital Media, 7 July 2021, https://www.caranddriver.com/tesla/model-3.

Fly, Ashley. "Are plug-in hybrid cars worse for environment than factory tests suggest? It

depends how you drive them." Gale Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, Gale, 2021.

Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints,

link.gale.com/apps/doc/WSWUFL280353974/OVIC?u=dayt30401&sid=bookmark-

OVIC&xid=410667ff. Accessed 17 Oct. 2021. Originally published as "Are plug-in

hybrid cars worse for environment than factory tests suggest? It depends how you drive

them," The Conversation, 21 Sept. 2020.

Ganz, Andrew. “Everything You Need to Know about EV Charging Stations ...” Kelley Blue

Book, Kelley Blue Book Company, 23 Apr. 2021, https://www.kbb.com/car-advice/ev-

charging-stations/.

Kharpal, Arjun. “What 'Regulatory Credits' Are - and Why They're so Important to Tesla.”

CNBC, NBCUniversal, 18 May 2021, https://www.cnbc.com/2021/05/18/tesla-electric-

vehicle-regulatory-credits-explained.html.
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Kopestinsky, Alex. “Electric Car Statistics and Facts 2021: Policy Advice.” PolicyAdvice,

Policyadvice.net, 12 Aug. 2021, https://policyadvice.net/insurance/insights/electric-car-

statistics/.

Lomborg, Bjorn. "Gridlock on Electric Avenue: Electric cars aren't climate-change heroes. The

do little to reduce carbon pollution and in some ways even increase it." Hoover Digest,

no. 2, spring 2021, pp. 150+. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints,

link.gale.com/apps/doc/A661724998/OVIC?u=dayt30401&sid=bookmark-

OVIC&xid=8f2ce242. Accessed 17 Oct. 2021.

Markus, Frank. “Electric Cars 101: How EV Motors Work, Tech Differences, and More.”

MotorTrend, MotorTrend, 8 July 2021, https://www.motortrend.com/features/how-

electric-cars-work-ev-differences-definitions/.

Matulka, Rebecca. “The History of the Electric Car.” Energy.gov, U.S. Department of Energy,

15 Sept. 2014, https://www.energy.gov/articles/history-electric-car.

Stafford, Eric. “2022 Mini Cooper Electric Review, Pricing, and Specs.” Car and Driver, Hearst

Digital Media, 6 July 2021, https://www.caranddriver.com/mini/cooper-s-e.

Synák, František, et al. “Assessing the Energy Efficiency of an Electric Car.” Komunikácie, vol.

23, no. 1, Jan. 2021, pp. A1–A13. EBSCOhost, doi:10.26552/com.C.2021.1.A1-A13.