ARE ELECTRIC CARS ECO-FRIENDLY WHEN THEY USE FOSSIL FUELS?

Some time ago, the two developed countries of Norway and the Netherlands planned to ban fuel vehicles in 2025! The United States, Germany, and even India are also planning to ban fuel vehicles in 2023. France and the United Kingdom will ban fuel vehicles in 2040. Many countries ban fuel vehicles, and vigorously develop electric vehicles, which leads to many people taking it for granted that it is more environmentally friendly than fuel vehicles because it does not emit exhaust gas. But are electric cars really environmentally friendly? I am afraid it may not. Let’s talk about this topic with you today!

Is the electric car really environmentally friendly?

Since 2017, sales of new energy vehicles in China have seen a spurt of growth, with a cumulative sales of 735,000 vehicles that year, and nearly 214,000 charging piles nationwide. Whether it is a hybrid car or a pure electric car, it is undisputed that the carbon emissions can be greatly reduced during the driving process. However, it does not mean that the electric vehicle will not pollute the environment during the whole process of use.

According to relevant statistics, China consumes 0.4 kilograms of standard coal per kWh of electricity. In the process of power generation, the carbon emissions per kWh of electricity are about 0.272 kilograms, accompanied by toxic gases such as sulfur. That is to say, even for electric vehicles, its original energy source is also coal. At this stage, electric vehicles can be equated with “coal fuel vehicles”.

The source of electricity has always been the most difficult problem in all countries. At present, the countries or regions that rely on wind and water to replace thermal power generation have not been fully realized in the world. Clean energy is not the current mainstream. Two-thirds of the world’s electricity comes from fossil burning, and coal pollution is no less than oil.

The core technology of electric vehicles is the battery pack. The heavy metals of used batteries will seriously pollute the soil and groundwater resources and cannot be discarded. Even though the batteries produced today have achieved zero levels of mercury and helium, the lithium batteries in the new energy vehicles are far more than these two heavy metals. Heavy metal manganese, cobalt, and non-metallic arsenic, fluorine and other elements of the compound have irreversible damage to the environment.

The recovery of lithium batteries has always been difficult to solve. Therefore, many used batteries enter small workshops through various channels. The practice of these people is very simple. First, the battery is violently dismantled, and the metal part with relatively high value is taken out, and then dissolved by “Aqua regia”, and finally the metal ingot of higher price is extracted. However, those electrolytes and gases that are not properly treated can have a devastating effect on the surrounding environment, and are also prone to explosion risks!

Is there any way to make them more environmentally friendly?

1. Vigorously support the development of green power, using wind turbines, solar photovoltaics and other specific power generation equipment to convert renewable energy such as wind and solar energy into electrical energy.

2. Research on the recycling and reuse of electric vehicle batteries. Reduce the recycling cost of lithium batteries and environmental pollution.

3. Develop new energy and other environmentally effective ways. Improve the exhaust system and exhaust pipe of gasoline vehicles to reduce pollution.

Do you support electric cars or petrol cars?