Most new technologies come with an element of surprise. It challenges age-old mindsets. It takes time for people to wrap their heads around a new paradigm, irrespective of the degree of benefit it introduces us to. And, in this interval, when people are getting accustomed to a new idea, there are a lot of myths floating around. Naysayers and advocates of the status quo spread these myths. The same is the case for Electric vehicles.
The sales of Electric Vehicles have been growing exponentially. According to a report published by the International Energy Agency (IEA), Almost 14 million new electric cars were registered globally in 2023, bringing their total number on the roads to 40 million. Electric car sales in 2023 were 3.5 million higher than in 2022, a 35% year-on-year increase. This is more than six times higher than in 2018, just 5 years earlier.
And with this momentous growth, a host of myths started floating around the nature of EVs. Many of these myths were based on anecdotes and single-user experiences and were not based on hard data. Many myths were also results of one-sided stories being used as a proxy for the whole. These stories did not take into account the stories of IC engine vehicles. In the coming segments, we dispel five such myths.
1. EV Batteries Don’t Last Long
One of the most common criticisms EV batteries frequently face is that they do not last long. However, this claim might be more fiction than fact.
A new study has found that most EV batteries can likely outlast the vehicle’s usable life. In mid-September, reports came from Canadian telematics company Geotab’s recent update to its 2019 analysis on EV battery degradation, which incorporated fresh numbers from its latest new fleet data.
In 2019, Geotab’s report said EV batteries degraded at an average rate of 2.3 percent annually. Now, in 2024, after performing a new analysis, the fresh report says that EV batteries have undergone a significant improvement in these five years and now degrade at 1.8 percent per year on average.
The summary conclusion of the Geotab report says that EV batteries could last 20 years at a new degradation rate. More specifically, the report said:
“Numerous factors determine an electric vehicle battery’s lifespan, but on average, EV batteries will outlast the useful life of their vehicle, especially if drivers follow charging and driving best practices.”
When specifying the exact nature of the degradation, it appeared mostly linear. The batteries experienced an initial drop, and then the pace of decline was slower. The drop was again significant during the end-of-life. The longevity of the batteries – like any other equipment we use around us – was a function of many factors, such as climate, usage, and the kind of charging methods used.
Another study that recently debunked the myth of EV batteries having a shorter life span was the study by the P3 group that claimed that most EV batteries retained more than 80% of their capacity even after 200,000 kilometers, in a show of resilience and long-term value. The study drew its data from more than 7,000 real-world vehicles.
The study showed that many EV batteries – even after being removed from the vehicle – may still possess sufficient capacity for secondary uses, including stationary energy storage.
Manufacturers are also becoming increasingly confident about the longevity of EV batteries. For instance, manufacturers like Lexus offer warranties of up to 10 years or 1 million kilometers.
With both these studies combined, one can now say with confidence that it is a myth that EV batteries do not last long. The batteries have proved their mettle in their performance, resulting in an upgrade in their economic and commercial value.
2. EVs are Just As Polluting As Gas Cars
Source: Union of Concerned Scientists
There is no denying that EVs have a higher carbon footprint after production than ICE vehicles. The higher carbon footprint levels are due to EVs undergoing an energy-intensive battery pack manufacturing process. However, if we look at the greenhouse gas emissions over a lifetime, they are far less than those of ICE vehicles. In 2021, the International Council on Clean Transportation published a white paper on the global comparison of the life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions of combustion engines and electric passenger cars.
The study looked separately – and as deeply as it could get – into the realities of the automobile markets in Europe, the United States, China, and India. These four markets combined account for nearly 70% of global new passenger car sales. It considered present and projected future GHG emissions attributable to every stage in the life cycles of vehicles and fuels, from extracting and processing raw materials through refining and manufacture to operation and eventual recycling or disposal. The results could easily debunk this myth that EVs are just as polluting as gas cars.
More specifically, for cars registered in 2021, battery electric vehicles (BEVs) had by far the lowest life-cycle GHG emissions. It was lower than comparable gasoline cars by 66%–69% in Europe, 60%–68% in the United States, 37%–45% in China, and 19%–34% in India.
Moreover, with the electricity mix continuing to decarbonize, the life-cycle emissions gap between BEVs and gasoline vehicles is expected to increase substantially when considering medium-size cars that are projected to be registered in 2030.
Now, one could raise questions regarding the length of time that could be called a lifetime. It is important to note that the total carbon footprint of ICE vehicles quickly overtakes that of EVs after 15,000 miles (24,140 km) of driving.
In other words, it takes a typical EV about one year to achieve “carbon parity” with an ICE vehicle. And from there onwards, the ICEs start moving ahead rapidly in their carbon footprint, becoming significantly more polluting than EVs. If the EV draws its power from grids that run on carbon-free sources, such as hydroelectricity, the catchup period is about six months only.
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3. EVs Are More Expensive Than Gas Cars
Another myth that has followed EVs as a shadow for a long time is that they are vehicles for the wealthy and affluent and not for the economic middle class or the working class. Facts show that this presumption is also mere fiction, and the numbers tell the real story.
A 2021 study looked into vehicles of multiple sizes and found that while the total cost of ownership over 15 years is similar between electric vehicles and their gas-powered counterparts, electric vehicles are slightly cheaper to operate per mile.
More specifically, in the small SUV category, hybrid electric vehicles cost 45.08 cents per mile, while gas-powered, spark-ignition vehicles came in close behind at 47.27 cents per mile.
It is a fact that EV owners had to incur a tad higher upfront cost of purchase. However, the gap between the cost of an EV and an ICE was also closing in significantly.
For instance, according to a comparative study done by Cox Automotive (parent company of Kelley Blue Book), the average price paid for a new EV has fallen significantly over the years, and more than a year back, in September 2023, amounted to a cost of just $2,800 more than the average paid for a new gas-powered vehicle. The reduction in purchase price over a year was as significant as US$14,300.
Moreover, an EV qualifies for tax incentives that offset its price. The federal EV tax credit offers up to $7,500 for new EVs and, for the first time, $4,000 for used EVs, too, for eligible buyers and EVs.
Additionally, the US Department of Treasury has announced it will soon start allowing participating auto dealers to provide tax credits directly to consumers at the point of sale, making the incentives more visible and savings more immediate.
EVs were also cheaper when it came to fueling the car. A 2021 Wall Street Journal Study compared the electricity and fuel costs of two comparable compact crossover SUVs, the 2021 Toyota RAV4 and the electric Ford Mustang Mach-E. The study looked into costs in 15 US cities based on 200 miles of driving per week and found that at-home charging was cheaper than buying gasoline across the board.
In Spokane, WA, where gasoline is expensive but electricity is relatively cheap, the annual savings of a consumer amounted to US$899 by charging an EV at home rather than buying gas. However, in a city like New York, where gas and electricity were both relatively expensive, the savings came to $428, which is still cheaper to power an EV.
Together, it is quite evident that EVs are not at all an option for the wealthy since purchase and refueling are both cheaper in the long run than comparable IC engine vehicles.
4. There Aren’t Enough Charging Stations
We talked about the cost benefits of charging EVs at home compared to refueling IC engine vehicles that run on gasoline. However, one of the most common charges leveled against the EV network is that it lacks adequate charging infrastructure, leading to a possibility that thousands and thousands of EV owners might end up stranded. However, the picture is not at all that grim. Rather, it is quite the opposite.
The charging network is increasing at a significant pace. For instance, China had an estimated 14.1 million electric cars in use across the country in 2022. By 2023, the country had over 2.7 million publicly accessible electric vehicle chargers in 2023. In April 2024, the United States had over 168,300 charging outlets for plug-in electric vehicles (EVs), and by August 2024, the number had increased to 192,000. Reports suggested that the United States was adding 1,000 new public chargers every week.
In August 2024, the Biden-Harris administration announced $521 million in grants to continue building out electric vehicle (EV) charging and alternative-fueling infrastructure across 29 states, eight Federally Recognized Tribes, and the District of Columbia, including the deployment of more than 9,200 EV charging ports.
Apart from China and the United States, other countries are also racing ahead fast with their EV infrastructure, which receives significant backing from national governments and environmental protection departments. It is crucial to remember that the absolute number of EV charging stations in a country might not paint the full picture. It is the number of charging stations per capita that matters. With the highest market share in the world (80% of new cars are EVs), Norway has the highest number of charging stations per capita. The country aims to hit 500,000 total charging stations by 2030.
Source: Roland Berger
Another country that has done well in the distribution of charging stations is the Netherlands. The country has one of the highest density of public charging stations, with a ratio of one station for every five electric cars. The country aims to have 1.8 million public and private chargers by 2030.
Sweden has gone one notch higher in delivering charging infrastructure. The country has the world’s first permanent electric road being built. This two-kilometer stretch uses in-road rails to wirelessly charge electric trucks and buses as they drive. Sweden aims to eventually build a 3,000 km network of such charging infrastructure roads by 2035.
As of 2023, South Korea had more than 200,000 chargers for around 357,000 electric cars. There are countries like Canada where the National Government has enacted programs like the Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program (ZEVIP) that provides money for charger installation.
Altogether, over a short period, the world and its major EV-adopting countries have made a point to ramp up their charging infrastructure. And that debunks the myth that there are not enough charging stations.
5. EVs Are Worse for Cold Climates
Many European countries, as we have already seen in the segment above, have adopted Electric Vehicles enthusiastically. These countries have cold weather. Had the cold climate been a dealbreaker, EVs would not have had the success they’ve had in these countries.
But, moving away from anecdotal evidence, let us look at hard numbers. Battery performance indeed reduces during winter. However, the decline in performance is even greater in gasoline cars.
A study by the American Automobile Association found that at 20 degrees, an EV can lose as much as 12% of its range. However, the gas mileage of a conventional gasoline car is about 15% lower at 20 degrees than at 77 degrees, according to the US Department of Energy.
The winter fuel economy is lower because engine and transmission friction increases in cold temperatures. This is due to the cold engine oil and other drive-line fluids.
In EVs, however, downgrades in performance during cold climates can be mitigated by following a few simple steps:
- Preheat the battery before driving.
- Park the car indoors whenever possible.
- Heat the cabin before starting to drive.
- Ensure that the tire pressure is correct.
- Drive with the eco mode enabled.
- Avoid letting the battery levels drop below 20%.
Essentially, EVs are more compatible with cold climates than gasoline automobiles.
Concluding Words
We must remember that change is always relative. One thing is better compared to the other. It would be wrong for us to judge the merit of EVs on a standalone basis. We would have to look into the relative advantages they’ve to offer compared to their predecessors, the gasoline vehicles and the IC Engine cars.
They help protect the environment. And the value of a greener environment is also to be factored in when we judge the worth of EVs. Also, technology is emerging, and innovations are improving their standards with each passing day.
There will come a day when the world will have EVs as one of the most desirable gifts we could have gifted to our planet and the generations to come.
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