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Not Enough Copper To Meet Demand For EV Revolution Essay

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Carbon Dioxide Electric Vehicle Renewable Energy Fossil Fuel
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Are EVs Better?

The Electric Vehicle (EV) craze has many wondering if these machines are actually better for the environment than internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. The point of contention seems to hinge on the behind-the-scenes work that goes into producing an EVi.e., the mining of metals, the carbon footprint produced in bringing the EV to market and keeping it charged, and the environmental impact of all the batteries that could be piled up with nowhere to go once the EV is taken out of circulation (Common & English, 2019; Ellsmoor, 2022; Terzon, 2023). Researcher like Ellsmoor (2022) believe that the pros outweigh the cons and that EVs represent less threat to the environment than ICE vehicles. However, Ellsmoors (2022) data appears to be somewhat cherry-picked. In reality it looks like EVs are not actually better for the environment and in fact may be worse considering all the amount of copper and other metals like lithium that will need to be mined just to further than transition from ICE to EV (White, 2024). When all is said and done, the EV actually looks like it could be leading the world to an environmental crisis of epic proportionsquite the opposite of a future of sustainability predicted by EV promoters like Elon Musk (Ochoa, 2024).

Ellsmoor (2022) makes the claim that EVs are responsible for considerably lower emissions over their lifetime than vehicles running on fossil fuels, regardless of the source that generates the electricity. The claim is based on analysis of how much carbon dioxide is produced in the manufacturing of batteries for EVs versus how much carbon dioxide is produced by ICE vehicles over their lifetime. The comparison is somewhat short-sighted, however, because it is only looking at battery production. It is not looking the total overhaul of infrastructure that would be needed to support EV charging for an entire nation of 300+ million people. For example, the world does not have nearly enough copper being mined at the current rate to support this gigantic transition. As White (2024) points out, the...

This disproportionate use of copper would mean that supply would have to increase at a more than one hundred percent increase than what has been mined throughout the whole of human history (White, 2024). The amount of new copper mines would have to grow by more than 50% (White, 2024). Think of all the environmental red tape that would be involved in that process alone. Ellsmoor crunches a few numbers regarding carbon dioxide emissions related to battery production. What he does not do is look at...
…transformation of the energy grid would be required just to meet demand. More copper would have to come online than has ever been mined in the history of the world. The mining of that metal and other rare earth materials along with the problem of disposing of EV batteries could potentially do so much harm to the environment that it would set sustainability back decades if not centuries. With all that in mind, it is impossible to say that EVs are better for the environment than ICE vehicles. The reality is that EVs represent an idealistic but ultimately nave venture that will do more harm to the environment than good. They are not a savior of the transportation industry that will make travel truly green but rather something like an albatross around the neckpretty in idea but horrible in execution.

References

Common, D. & English, J. (2019). Electric vehicles are supposed to be green, but the truth is a

bit murkier. Retrieved from https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/ev-electric-vehicle-carbon-footprint-1.5394126

Ellsmoor, J. (2022). Are Electric Vehicles Really Better For The Environment?

Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesellsmoor/2019/05/20/are-electric-vehicles-really-better-for-the-environment/?sh=32b68f4976d2

Ochoa, J. (2024). New study suggests EVs are supercharging an impending environmental crisis.

Retrieved from https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/technologyinvesting/new-study-suggests-evs-are-supercharging-an-impending-environmental-crisis/ar-BB1ndL5Q?ocid=BingNewsSerp

Terzon, E. (2023). EV batteries pose big risks and new figures reveal how much hazardous

waste they could create. Retrieved from https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-06-01/electric-vehicle-battery-waste-projections-uts-research/102417114

White, E. (2024). We're Not Mining Enough Copper to Meet Upcoming EV Projections: Report.

Retrieved from https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/savingandinvesting/we-re-not-mining-enough-copper-to-meet-upcoming-ev-projections-report/ar-BB1ncOXc?ocid=BingNewsSerp

Discussion 1

One reason those…

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One reason those might not agree with me may have for doing so is that EV battery production is not as impactful on the environment in terms of carbon dioxide pollution as ICE vehicles. They are looking at factory production of batteries versus car exhaust on ICE to make this comparison. The problem with this comparison is that it gives the impression that carbon dioxide is the only factor affecting the environment that one needs to consider. The fact is that mining is a huge part of bringing EVs to life, and the amount of mining that would be needed to transition the world to EVs would be vastly more impactful on the environment than the mere exhaust of Ice vehicles currently is.

Discussion 2Ellsmoor (2022) makes the claim that “EVs are responsible for considerably lower emissions over their lifetime than vehicles running on fossil fuels, regardless of the source that generates the electricity.” This is an interesting point but far from being a good reason for believing that EVs are better for the environment than ICE vehicles. Ellsmoor does not actually do a deep dive into EV production or into the materials needed for EV production or for how the new grid will have to be erected or for how much infrastructural development is needed to make EV charging practical. This is an example of trying to box the EV is good argument into a narrow picture so that it looks brighter than it really is.

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