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Nithin Datla

Slye

English 1201

21 March 2021

What impact does electric cars have on the environment?

The climate of Earth has been rapidly changing during the 20-21st century and the main

cause of this is global warming. Global warming is being driven by human emissions such as the

usage of fossil fuels, deforestation, and transportation. This is negatively affecting the

environment because all the greenhouse gases are trapping heat in the atmosphere which is

causing numerous problems such as destroying habitats, causing the sea level to rise, and

allowing dangerous diseases to spread at ease. One of the main drivers of global warming is the

usage of gasoline powered cars. Almost everyone these days owns a car and is actively

contributing to global warming. Electric car manufacturers are looking to put an end to this and

help slow down global warming.

The concept of electric cars started a long time ago. The first practical electric car dates

back to 1890 when a chemist named William Morrison built an electric car that was capable of a

top speed of 14 miles per hour. It wasn’t a breakthrough product by any means but it helped

spark interest in electric vehicles. Electric cars were starting to gain some popularity since they

were a lot easier to manage compared to an internal combustion engine car. They were very

popular among people who only needed vehicles for short trips. All this popularity went away in

1908 when Henry Ford’s Model T was announced. It was a mass-produced car that cost less than

half the average electric vehicle. The interest in electric cars slowly started to fade away to its

high price tag but it eventually came back to life once Gas shortages started to occur (Matkula).
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Global warming is increasing rapidly and the usage of gasoline powered cars is not

helping. In “Why Electric Cars are Cleaner,” James Kliesch explains that the internal combustion

engine cars produce exhaust that contains many pollutants such as carbon monoxide,

hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxides. These pollutants get released into the atmosphere and trap

heat causing the climate to change. Unlike these gasoline powered cars, electric cars have zero

emissions while in use. They do however produce some emissions when they are getting charged

but it is way less than the emissions that gasoline powered cars produce (Kliesch). James kliesch

is a very credible source because he is an expert in advanced and clean vehicle technologies.

Many people believe that plug-in cars will help slow down global warming. Siena Kaplan

in her article “Plug-in Electric Vehicles Will Reduce Air Pollution.” argues that some of the

advantages of plug-in cars include emitting less global warming pollution than cars that are

powered by gasoline. This is because electric motors are more efficient than the internal

combustion engine (Kaplan). In “ The History of the Electric Car,” Rebecca Matkula believes

that if the U.S transitioned to electric cars, they would be able to reduce the carbon pollution

from the transportation sector of global warming by around 20% (Matkula). Both Matkula and

Kaplan are credible sources because they are experts in their fields that have to do with the

environment.

Despite these great findings and positive numbers, there are still many people who are

very skeptical about electric cars and the impact they truly have on the environment. In

“Alternative Vehicles Do Not Solve Environmental Problems,” Jane Kay believes that the

manufacturing of these electric cars accounts for 1/3rd of the consumption of energy and
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resources. The computers to control the engines, the plastic, and the aluminum to produce the

cars all contribute to global warming (Kay).

Electric cars may not contribute too much to greenhouse-gas emissions but they do

contribute to other negative things. In “Are Electric Vehicles Better for the Environment than

Gas-Powered Ones?” Kevin Bullis talks about a study made by the automotive company Renault

revealed that they contribute more to acid rain and they are also worse in terms of causing algae

blooms compared to gasoline powered cars (Bullis). Renault is a very credible source because

they are one of the front runners in car manufacturing.

Electric cars seem to emit less greenhouse gases while in-use but they still do contribute a

lot while they are being manufactured and also while they are getting charged. A possible

solution to the charging problem could be to only charge the car using renewable energy sources

such as solar, wind, and hydropower. Charging cars with this energy will help cut down on the

greenhouse emissions while charging and it will make electric cars truly green after production.
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Works Cited

Bullis, Kevin. “Are Electric Vehicles Better for the Environment than Gas-Powered Ones?” MIT

Technology Review, 2 Apr. 2020, www.technologyreview.com/2013/07/12/177373/are-electric-

vehicles-better-for-the-environment-than-gas-powered-ones.

Kaplan, Siena, et al. "Plug-in Electric Vehicles Will Reduce Air Pollution." Pollution, edited by Louise I.

Gerdes, Greenhaven Press, 2011. Opposing Viewpoints. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints,

link.gale.com/apps/doc/EJ3010157282/OVIC?u=dayt30401&sid=OVIC&xid=192ad91c.

Accessed 7 Mar. 2021. Originally published as "Charging Ahead: Curbing Oil Consumption with

Plug-in Cars," Environment Maryland Research and Policy Center, 2010, pp. 7-14.

Kay, Jane Holtz. "Alternative Vehicles Do Not Solve Environmental Problems." Energy Alternatives,

edited by Helen Cothran, Greenhaven Press, 2002. Opposing Viewpoints. Gale In Context:

Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/EJ3010220226/OVIC?

u=dayt30401&sid=OVIC&xid=ba8c8a55.Accessed 7 Mar. 2021. Originally published as "Cars

Are Key to Global Warming," Progressive Populist, 15 June 2000.

Kliesch, James. "Why Electric Cars Are Cleaner." Hybrid and Electric Cars, edited by Louise I. Gerdes,

Greenhaven Press, 2015. At Issue. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints,

link.gale.com/apps/doc/EJ3010920204/OVIC?u=dayt30401&sid=OVIC&xid=4298c76e.

Accessed 7 Mar. 2021. Originally published in Mother Earth News, vol. 58, 2011.

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Matkula, Rebecca. “The History of the Electric Car.” Energy.Gov, 2014,

www.energy.gov/articles/history-electric-car.