At this stage we can’t answer the question definitively, do electric vehicles reduce emissions or not. That because the answer will depend on how well we manage and recycle their used batteries.
We came across an article in The Sun in Malaysia, where the writer discusses this enigma with Dr Nur Sabahiah Abdul Sukor of Universiti Sains Malaysia School of Civil Engineering.
Factors Determining Whether EVs Reduce Emissions
“The policies and recycling systems we build now, will determine whether this becomes an environmental problem,” Dr Sukor explains. “Or whether we see this a circular economy opportunity.”
In other words, she is saying we should not welcome electric vehicles, just because they don’t send out exhaust fumes. But rather judge them in terms of their full life-cycle impact, from manufacturing, through use, to final disposal.
This means factoring in the environmental impact of producing the vehicle and the battery, and generating the electricity to charge it. The situation in Malaysia is broadly speaking as follows:
- Most of the electricity that charges electric vehicles in Malaysia still comes from burning fossil fuels.
- That electricity has a higher ‘carbon tax’, reducing the local environmental benefits of electric vehicle transport.
The Road Ahead for Electric Vehicles In Malaysia
The challenge that concerns Dr Sukor is part of the broader global debate, whether electric vehicles do reduce emissions overall or not. A significant amount of the ‘carbon burden’ comes from electric vehicle batteries. This load increases if a user replaces a battery earlier than normal.
“If you have to change the battery more frequently, like when it wears out faster in hot weather or with heavy use, the electric vehicle’s carbon footprint goes up,” Dr Sukor adds.
Repurposing longer-lasting batteries is definitely part of the solution. Avoiding fast charging will also help. But it is increasingly clear that we need to urgently ramp up battery material recycling too.
More Information.
Electric Vehicle Batteries in Winter
Electric Vehicle Battery Degradation
