In efforts to create a more sustainable transportation infrastructure, governments and corporations have shifted their investments to cleaner power generation in vehicles. Currently, internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles emit large concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) into the atmosphere and account for a sizable proportion of annual emissions. At the forefront of GHG mitigation strategies is the battery-operated electric vehicle (EV). EVs are more energy efficient than ICE vehicles and emit zero emissions directly, but their implementation provides noteworthy challenges to world infrastructure.
Entering the twenty-first century, the concept of an electric vehicle recently gained serious attention, and early EVs were not nearly as well-known and practical as current models. In 2005, only two thousand EV sales were made, whereas in 2016, over seven hundred thousand EVs were sold. Due to rapid development in the electrical technology required for EVs, more customers have invested in them. By 2035, it is projected that EVs will comprise anywhere from eleven to twenty-eight percent of the global automotive fleet (Haidar, et al). This development is being bolstered by national governments across the globe in efforts to stride towards ecological sustainability. For instance, in countries like Japan and Canada, citizens who own electric cars receive tax cuts, which incentivize the purchase of EVs. In France, the government makes efforts to support infrastructure connected to electric vehicles. This may entail investments in charging stations and other entities that facilitate the operation of electric vehicles (Haidar, et al). In spite of this global push for electric vehicles, many obstacles stand in the way of their full implementation.
One of the most significant concerns of utilizing electric power on a large scale is the pressure placed on the power grid. It is estimated that in 2035, when EVs are projected to be fully compatible with existing ICE vehicles, they will require eleven to twenty percent more electricity than what is currently generated (Haidar, et al). This poses concern to many scientists, as much of the electrical power utilized today still relies on fossil fuels. And while sustainable methods of power generation are heavily researched, their implementation may be a slow process, as new technologies of such scale are extremely expensive. Will the developments of green electricity keep pace with the rapid advancement of the EV industry? From the results of current efforts, it appears there will be difficulty in satisfying the demands of a growing need for electricity. Consider California: Governor Newsom committed to implementing environmentally-friendly electric power generation, but the state has struggled. It is widely known that California has experienced blackouts recently, and this power shortage is only amplified by the use of electric vehicles. Similar struggles have also been documented elsewhere. For instance, grid instabilities were reported in Norway after an influx of EV use (Haidar, et al). Despite the leaps and bounds made by EVs on the market today, there is still improvement to be made in the efficiency of battery-powered vehicles. And even with these improvements, there is still speculation on the power grid’s abilities to support a greater demand for electricity.
Furthermore, both opportunities and challenges arise in enabling all drivers equitable access to EVs and their required maintenance. A large benefit to investing in electric vehicles on a large scale is the decreased need for specific fossil fuels. In remote locations, importing fuel can be a hassle, and accommodating the specific fuel types utilized by ICE vehicles can be difficult (O’Niell-Carillo, et al). For example, it may be expensive to import diesel to a small island community to fuel their cars. However, shipping fuels and resources to generate electricity may be simpler and more cost effective for the community. Beyond this advantage, however, remote communities would be disproportionately affected by the greater implementation of electric vehicles. In many off-the-grid areas, the electrical grids would be placed under severe stress upon the influx of EV charging. Usually, remote areas have more primitive electrical systems than those of developed regions. Even in some European countries, the electrical infrastructure has much lower performance than what is commonly observed in America. So if California experiences electrical grid complications as electric vehicles become more widely used, it is inevitable that smaller, less advanced electrical systems will suffer as well.
Additionally, the reliability of these remote grids could pose an obstacle to the implementation of EV charging systems (O’Niell-Carillo, et al). A great concern lies in the threat of electrical overload in current systems. In many cases, an electric vehicle charger can double a house’s energy requirement. Increasing the load in this manner significantly hinders the life of household electrical systems. A study testing the effects of electric chargers on transformers demonstrated that one day of quick charging reduced the life of a transformer by fifty-eight and a half hours (O’Niell-Carillo, et al). In a remote community, this additional wear would be detrimental to electricity users; they could experience high maintenance costs and wait times for system repairs. To combat the breakdown of electric grids, extensive policy would need to be implemented. It has been proposed that only certain levels of charging and allotted charge times could be utilized to maintain a vehicle (O’Niell-Carillo, et al). Yet major challenges could arise from regulations of this nature. For instance, if citizens cannot charge their vehicles at that time, or the charge is not enough for them to reach their next destination, there could be difficulty. Moreover, power modulation devices can be equally impractical in remote areas. Smart charging, which monitors the quantity of electricity that is distributed to a vehicle, may not be suitable for rural communities (O’Niell-Carillo, et al). In the same fashion as other smart technology, some smart chargers rely on satellite connection to manipulate the charging process. This type of charger could not be used in many remote communities, due to insufficient satellite connectivity. Overall, the rise of the electric vehicle demonstrates a strong move towards sustainable transit, but this popular solution comes with its obstacles. Is electricity the best power source moving forward? It is difficult to pinpoint a “correct” solution, but despite their drawbacks, EVs indicate a step in the direction of environmental friendliness.
Sources:
https://www-sciencedirect-com.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/science/article/pii/S0196890414005500
Hi Nicholas! This is a compelling blog post! I find it interesting since so many people are so enthusiastic about EVs without even realizing the impact they can still have on the environment (is it ever that simple?) Your research about the impact on the power grid is super interesting. This blog is very well thought out, great job!
Hey Nic–this is an intriguing look into the future of electric vehicles. Like Kyli said, many people are supportive of electric vehicles, but like you mentioned in this post, many power grids that could be used to charge electric vehicles use fossil fuels to function. It seems like no matter how far down the line we go, a non-green or otherwise non-environmentally friendly option has to be used for the other environmentally friendly options to even function. That’s the problem scientists are trying to solve, I suppose. It also fascinates me just how drastically the production of electric vehicles increased in the span of about ten years. About 2,000 to 700,000 is (if my math is right, which it totally might not be) roughly a 350,000% increase. That is ludicrous, and really hammers home the point you ended with–Electric vehicles represent a step in the right direction, its just figuring out the logistics of that step that is the problem. Awesome post, and I look forward to reading whatever you post next!
This is a very intriguing look into the nature of EVs today. Although I am quite supportive with EVs generally, your post has made me question the potential environmental hazards they might pose. The potential for Gird instability is also a major risk which I thought was quite surprising given the amount of energy we produce currently. The economic/regional concerns you suggested are quite important to consider when looking at where EVs are the best solution to climate change. If we cannot make EVs work everywhere we need to come up with different solutions so that way no-one is left behind during this green revolution.
I found this post super interesting, especially because I have a hybrid car that can switch to EV mode. This is definitely a topic that is being debated in recent years. I agree that it is important to take care of our environment and electric vehicles can definitely help solve that issue, but your post made me question a few things because I realized some impacts that I never knew about. That makes me wonder: how can we solve the problem then?