Electric cars ‘environmentally friendly’ only after 77,000 miles, says EV maker
Electric vehicles (EVs) are responsible for so many carbon emissions that they only become environmentally beneficial after driving tens of thousands of miles, says one EV maker.
Volkswagen revealed in a Daily Mail report Sunday that its e-Golf needs to be driven 77,000 miles before it outperforms its fuel-powered counterparts in environmental impact. The number tops Volvo’s estimate in 2021 that EVs only become “climate-friendly” between 30,000 and 68,400 miles — or what typically amounts to between four to nine years overall.
According to Volvo’s figures, EVs are 70% more environmentally harmful than internal combustion engine (ICE) cars, largely due to their batteries. EV batteries require intensive cobalt and lithium mining, which are conducted in Africa and South America and cause significant greenhouse gas emissions.
These numbers are concerning for Americans who plan on leasing an EV for its environmental impact and may not use the vehicle long enough for that to be realized.
Many consumers who are being told to transition to EVs to “fight climate change” are also discovering that EVs are more economically challenging than their ICE counterparts.
Analyses show that because electric cars require so much electricity, EV owners are likely to pay more per mileage than ICE vehicle owners. For a Kia e-Niro, for instance, the UK’s best-selling affordable electric car, a full recharge can cost about £54.40 ($69.05). On a battery offering an average range of 230 miles, this amounts to 23 pence ($0.29) per mile. But for a 400-mile-range Ford Puma, last year’s fuel-powered bestseller, a £60 ($76.16) refueling amounts to only 15 pence ($0.19) per mile.
Similarly, owners of the Volkswagen ID 3 may find themselves paying 8 pence ($0.10) more per mile for a full recharge than owners of the Volkswagen Golf pay for a full refueling.
Those who charge their EVs at home are charged a 5% value-added tax (VAT), while those who charge at public stations pay 20%.
The UK nevertheless plans to outlaw fuel-powered vehicles by 2030.
According to a study published in January, “[t]ypical mid-priced ICE car drivers paid about $11.29 to fuel their vehicles for 100 miles of driving. . . . That cost was around $0.31 cheaper than the amount paid by mid-priced EV drivers charging mostly at home, and over $3 less than the cost borne by comparable EV drivers charging commercially.”
The cost difference becomes even starker when factoring in EV drivers who need to recharge frequently at charging stations at an estimated cost of $14.40 per 100 miles.
EVs become more expensive still considering that many governments seek to charge EV owners additional fees to compensate for lost fuel taxes.
Israel’s Finance Ministry, for instance, is considering a travel tax of $0.041 per kilometer for EVs, though the cost may actually be higher. With an average annual travel distance of 16,000 kilometers, EV drivers could expect to pay an extra $656 per year.
Several US states who pushed for “sustainable” and “environmentally friendly” vehicle alternatives are now imposing additional registration fees on EV owners. Illinois Democrats, for instance, proposed charging EV owners a $1,000 annual registration fee to recoup the loss in gasoline taxes. After intense backlash, however, the Prairie State settled on charging EV owners a $251 annual registration fee, $100 more than their ICE (internal combustion engine) counterparts.
At least 19 states have imposed an extra annual registration fee for EVs ranging from $50 to $235, with Blue states such as Michigan and Georgia at the higher end.
In addition to the higher costs, EVs are less equipped for extreme weather, which authorities worry will increase traffic congestion.
Winter’s cold has been known to affect an electric vehicle’s driving range between 20%–41%, reports Axios. According to University of Michigan’s Energy Institute Director Anna Stefanopoulou, EVs “prefer the same sort of temperature range that people do. Anything below 40 or above 115 degrees Fahrenheit and they’re not going to deliver their peak performance.”
The Wall Street Journal also notes that EVs are severely hampered by extreme weather.
“When temperatures drop to 5 degrees Fahrenheit, the cars achieve only 54% of their quoted range,” writes the WSJ. “A vehicle that’s supposed to be able to go 250 miles between charges will make it only 135 miles on average. At 32 degrees — a typical winter day in much of the country — a Tesla Model 3 that in ideal conditions can go 282 miles between charges will make it only 173 miles.”
New York City recently found this out when it realized that its plan to convert its fleet of 6,000 garbage trucks to electric trucks — each coming with a $523,000 price tag — can only plow for four hours before running out of battery. With approximately 19,000 miles of road requiring plowing every winter, this might mean some communities would have to manually clear their own roads.
But it’s not just winter; summer heat waves can also affect EV owners. This past August, California state officials asked EV owners to refrain from charging their vehicles to conserve electricity needed to deal with the expected heat wave.
It comes as no surprise, therefore, that auto manufacturers are questioning the massive push by globalist elements towards EVs, though these carmakers are afraid to speak out for fear of backlash.
"People involved in the auto industry are largely a silent majority," Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda told reporters during a trip to Thailand in December. "That silent majority is wondering whether EVs are really OK to have as a single option. But they think it’s the trend so they can’t speak out loudly."
“I don’t think the market is ready. I don’t think the infrastructure is ready. And even if you were ready to purchase one, and if you could afford it . . . they’re still too high,” said Toyota Motor North America Executive Vice President Jack Hollis in August.
