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Riley Stamm

Professor Rickard

ENG 1101

6 December 2019

The Lasting Benefits of Electric Vehicles

Pollution is a growing epidemic that is currently jeopardizing our environment. As of

2016, automotive fumes are the leading cause of air pollution in our society. This means that

75% of contamination has been caused by the human race. In order to reduce our carbon

footprint, car companies need to take action to reduce the amount of soot and chemicals we

produce by using gasoline. Electric vehicles are the perfect solution to omit the vast majority of

atmospheric impurities. They utilize electric power, which means no exhaust will be emitted

from gas combustion. In order for this reduction to be possible, every vehicle must be accounted

for. In order for our environment to improve, we need automotive companies to further promote

environmentally friendly vehicles, like electric cars, and keep gasoline efficiency as a top

priority.

In 1884, the first electric car was created by an English inventor. It wasn’t until later that

the practicality of using them to prevent pollution came to mind. A big factor that makes electric

cars so environmentally friendly is there is no gas combustion, which creates exhaust and soot. A

study by Elia Distaso shows that engines can produce less soot if the oxygen level inside the

chamber is increased. This study showcases how all vehicles can be produced with beneficial

qualities. Car companies should take these facts into consideration when manufacturing engines.

A study by Gao supports this experiment because it uncovered that in order for human’s carbon
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footprint to be reduced, all automotive vehicles must be fuel efficient in some way. This should

urge car companies to place environmentally friendly cars as an essential priority.

Some people may think that gas is the easiest and most mainstream way to power your

car. Some may think electric cars are a hassle or that they will cause more pollution than gas

powered cars. Electric cars prevail in all these accusations. Owners of electric cars plug their

vehicles in overnight, so they retain a full tank of gas every morning. If in a rush, small intervals

of charge can reciprocate miles of travel. Electric car batteries are much larger than gas powered

car batteries, but thankfully, all can be recycled safely. In the case of a power outage, hybrid cars

can also utilize gas and an electric vehicle can even be used to power your home. Tesla, one of

the most popular electric vehicle manufacturers, is now introducing a solar panel charging option

which will eliminate the issue of a more extensive power shortage. One of the most common

misconceptions about electric cars is that you can not take them on longer road trips. This is a

false accusation. In 2018, USA Today wrote an article crushing this stigma. They asked one of

the most popular makers of electric vehicles, Tesla, to provide charging options for five of the

most popular long distance road trips in America. Tesla even makes popular “Supercharger

stations, which offer full charges in less than an hour, plus hotels, restaurants, parking garages

and other travel partners.” On average, an electric car can drive 100-250 miles on a full charge.

This distance is more than needed for an average persons’ daily commute. When the day is done,

simply park the car and plug it in. Considering an average electric vehicle, a full charge,

equivalent to a full tank of gas, only requires around 8 hours. A personal electric vehicle

charging station can also be upgraded to increase the rate of charging.

A huge factor in the fuel efficiency of cars is their weight. It is commonly known that the

heavier an object is, the more expensive it may be. This is false in the light of the automotive
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industry. Lighter material for motor vehicles usually tends to be more expensive than a heavier

and bulkier material. Car companies use this misconception to their advantage and are able to

sell heavier vehicles with a higher price tag. A study done by Dai and other graduates proved that

vehicles of lighter weight spent less time at the gas station hence releasing fewer toxins into the

environment. “As a result, future vehicle weights and material compositions should be built upon

component-level material substitution and the corresponding weight reduction.” This means that

depending on the model of the vehicle, more or less material can be replaced or omitted to

maximize the fuel efficiency of the model. Car companies should stop profiting from selling

overpriced, weighted material and start including lighter, more environmentally efficient metals

in their production.

The most harmful factor of gas powered cars is the combustion of fossil fuels. These

reactions need heat to occur, and can lead to the release of toxic chemicals in the atmosphere. A

study conducted by Requia and other scientists showed that electric cars “reduce the production

of greenhouse gases and criteria pollutants.” Cars that utilize gasoline emit criteria pollutants

(particularly PM, SO2 ). These pollutants can potentially cause diseases like lung cancer, diabetes

and asthma. Our environment is being polluted with chemicals that can be detrimental to life. If

the automotive industry increases promotion of electric cars, we will lower the amount of toxic

chemicals that pollute our society. Another study by Hoofman and other colleagues mentioned

that “the combustion of fossil fuels aggravates the air quality of our world.” They concluded that

automotive companies do not meet the required regulations to keep vehicles environmentally

beneficial and safe. This showcases how the automotive industry fails to keep up with the

changing environment. Considering automotive fumes are the top cause of air pollution in 2019,

this issue should be continuously innovated and always be considered when manufacturing
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vehicles. These studies highly recommend the use of electric cars, which is exactly what car

companies should be doing considering our current environmental standards.

Overall, there is much more the automotive industry could be doing for the benefit of our

environment. If the automotive industry becomes more persistent in the innovation and

promotion of electric cars, our environment can change for the better. Once car companies put

the money aside, we can commence manufacturing lighter-vehicles with more fuel efficient

engines. Environmentally friendly vehicles should be a top priority of the car companies today. If

the automotive industry promotes and innovates environmentally beneficial vehicles, we can

officially reduce the pollution we have sadly created.

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Works Cited

Abramson, Ben. “Yes, You Can Take Electric Cars on Long Road Trips.” USA Today, Gannett

Satellite Information Network, 29 May 2018,

www.usatoday.com/story/travel/destinations/2018/05/29/tesla-electric-car-road-

trip/650328002/.

Dai, Qiang, et al. “Life Cycle Analysis of 1995-2014 U.S. Light-Duty Vehicle Fleet: The

Environmental Implications of Vehicle Material Composition Changes.” SAE

International Journal of Materials and Manufacturing, vol. 10, no. 3, 2017, pp. 378–384.

Academic Search Complete, doi:10.4271/2017-01-1273.

Distaso, E., et al. “Understanding the Role of Soot Oxidation in Gasoline Combustion: A

Numerical Study on the Effects of Oxygen Enrichment on Particulate Mass and Number

Emissions in a Spark-Ignition Engine.” Energy Conversion and Management, vol. 184,

15 Mar. 2019, pp. 24–39.

Gao, Lin, and Zach C. Winfield. “Life Cycle Assessment of Environmental and

Economic Impacts of Advanced Vehicles.” Energies, vol. 5, no. 3, 2012, pp. 605–620.

Academic Search Complete, doi:10.3390/en5030605.

Hooftman, Nils, et al. “Environmental Analysis of Petrol, Diesel and Electric Passenger

Cars in a Belgian Urban Setting.” Energies, vol. 9, no. 2, 29 Jan. 2016, p. 84.

Requia, Weeberb J., et al. “How Clean Are Electric Vehicles? Evidence-Based Review of

the Effects of Electric Mobility on Air Pollutants, Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Human
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Health.” Atmospheric Environment, vol. 185, 2018, pp. 64–77. Academic Search

Complete, doi:10.1016/j.atmosenv.2018.04.040.