Although Electric Vehicles (EV) are a hot topic, they fundamentally have failed to compete in the marketplace. The major reasons for their success are government mandates, lack of attention to their environmental destruction and questionable energy benefits. Major problems include legitimate energy saving concerns; increases in our national debt, impossible goals, and the undesirable transfer of monies to the very rich.
Energy issues: EVs have larger carbon footprints than hybrids for at least the initial 40,000-50,000 miles because mining 500,000 lbs. for each EV makes a huge carbon footprint. Since EVs are driven about 12,000 miles/yr. and the average age of EVs is 3.4 years, currently EVs in the aggregate have a larger carbon footprint than hybrids. Americans are daily told differently. Many charts show that EVs save energy after many thousands of miles; some studies, like the following show EVs always have a larger carbon footprint than hybrids:
Environmental Issues: Lithium is essential for the manufacture of EV batteries and no industry person would “deny lithium causes enormous environmental damage.” [i] The mining process uses vast amounts of water which results in flooded areas no longer available for agricultural use and the contamination of local water systems.
The lithium required by one Tesla exceeds that of 30 hybrids like the Toyota Prius. During each of the past 4 years the percentage of EV SUVs has increased 10% [ii] and SUVs require larger batteries and more lithium.
EV requires numerous rare earth elements which can pollute the air and water and cause soil erosion and environmental destruction.[iii] Each ton of rare earth elements produces 2,000 tons of toxic waste, which has resulted in the devastation of large regions of China [iv] One electric car requires mining of about 500,000 lbs. of earth. We know that a typical EV battery weighs about 1,000 lbs. and contains significant amounts of lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite, copper, and about 400 pounds of steel, aluminum, and various plastic components.[v]
EVs are for the Wealthy: Supporting EVs has been the largest government transportation policy ever that enables the rich to become richer. Although you can purchase an EV for less today, few poor people have bought a Tesla in the past (average cost $60,000). Few electric cars are purchased by families with only a single car and about half of all EVs are sold to families with 3 or more cars.
Government Debt Issues: Historically, excessive government debt has always led to out-of-control inflation, national weakness and bankruptcy. The 2021 Infrastructure Act provided EVs with $15 billion in subsidies and the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act included $400 billion in EV tax credits by 2032.[vi] Many handouts go to big companies. For example, government subsidies and tax credits for battery factories include $2 billion yearly for Panasonic and $9 billion for Ford. [vii]
The Charging Stations Issue: The U.S. government has mandated that 50% of all cars must be electric in 7 years.[viii] The cost/ mile to commercially charge an EV is about equal to gas autos and will take 10 times longer to charge.[ix] Charging stations will add billions to our national debt and billions to home owners’ costs.[x] [xi] [xii] The national electric grid cannot provide the electricity required to charge the anticipated increase in EVs.
Regulation Issues: Numerous onerous regulations are being designed to eliminate gasoline cars including The National Highway Safety Administration’s proposa[xiii]l to raise mandatory fuel economy to 58 miles per gallon.[xiv]
The Capitalist Solution: Let the market decide.Terminate all Government EV mandates. No scientific study has ever verified that the 300 million U.S. cars and 1.5 billion cars world-wide could possibly be all EV.[xv] The electric grid cannot handle this volume. Supply and demand and markets free of government interference will generate real wealth and provide us with the freedom of choice that Americans have enjoyed in the past.
[i] The toxic damage from mining rare elements – DW – 04/13/2021 https://p.dw.com/p/3rmqv NATURE AND ENVIRONMENT CHINAs by Mike Penke 04/13/2021 Melanie Müller, raw materials expert of the German think tank SWP
[ii] ibid
[iii] The Social and Environmental Impacts of Lithium Mining (borrumenergysolutions.ca)
[iv] The toxic damage from mining rare elements – DW – 04/13/2021
[v] Electric Vehicles for Everyone? The Impossible Dream | Manhattan Institute
[vi] Goldman Sachs estimate
[vii] WSJ 8/17/23 pg A24.
[viii] The US Needs 20 Times More EV Charging Stations by 2030... Or Else | Blink Charging
[ix] How Much Does An EV Charging Station Cost? (camperreport.com)
[x] Fixr.com | 2023 Cost to Install EV Charger at Home | Electric Car Charging Station Cost
[xi] https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005661176818.html
[xii] how many electric charging stations will be necessary in the US to complete our needs - Google Search
[xiii] WSJ 9/2/23 pg A12
[xiv] The Washington Times 8/14/23 pg 22
[xv] . TrendMacro conversation with Mark P. Mills on the impossible dream of electric vehicles | TrendMacro This would require 40 times as much lithium as is currently produced. There is not enough lithium in the world to accomplish this.[xv]
C:\Users\Steve\Documents\Climate Change\Articles\Steve Articles\Why Electric Vehicles cannot Compete.docx