An electric car looks like a very good alternative to a petrol car. However, it is not yet clear how environmentally friendly the compounds actually are. New research changes that.
The research team at the University of Southern California, I searched all available datasets in America. They did this to see if air quality and respiratory health had improved since the first electric cars hit the road. The results of this study say a lot about how green an EV really is.
The electric car reduces air pollution
For example, the team found that air pollution and asthma-related visits to the doctor decrease as the number of EVs within a given zip code increases. The researchers report that for every 20 additional electric cars per 1,000 residents, hospitals experience a 3.2% decrease in asthma visits. They also noted a small local decrease in nitrogen dioxide, a common greenhouse gas and pollutant.
Do not rejoice too early!
So electric cars seem environmentally friendly, but there is a catch. For example, the car itself is green, but not the way it was made. The resources used to produce electric vehicle batteries, such as lithium-ion batteries, have a high environmental cost.
Many batteries contain the metallic cobalt. Very strong material that can make the batteries charge faster. The substance can be easily extracted in mines, but not in an environmentally friendly way. In addition, charging stations are still not enough outside major cities. This makes it impractical to use an electric car for longer distances.
green alternatives
The research team concluded that the electric car definitely helps reduce air pollution. However, we need to pay more attention to the use of green alternatives when making electric vehicles. A hydrogen-powered car seems to be a good solution for that. Curious why? So read this article!
Why a hydrogen car is better than an electric car is a secret
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An electric car is good for the planet, but there’s a catch
