Electric vehicles (EVs) are pretty popular at the moment, with most supporters praising them for being clean and green. But the truth is that not everything’s so great about them. There are plenty of critics who believe these vehicles should be banned, and here are 18 reasons why.
Rare Earth Metals
Although using EVs might be green, their batteries require some pretty rare metals, like lithium and copper. Mining these metals can seriously damage the environment, which offsets any benefits they have in terms of pollution. It’s also not great for the workers because many of them receive wages as low as $3.50 per day.
Dumping Batteries
Speaking of batteries, what happens when they stop working? It’s not as simple as just throwing away the ones from your home electronics, as these batteries are pretty difficult to get rid of. They’re filled with things that can hurt the environment if companies don’t handle them properly or carefully.
Carbon Footprint
Even the process of building an EV isn’t exactly pollution-free. During the mining and assembly processes, companies pump out a lot of carbon dioxide, and that’s before the cars even hit the road. For some people, this upfront carbon cost cancels out the benefits of zero emissions that diverse get later on.
Outdated Power Grids
If every home on your block has an EV or two, the question then becomes where they’re all going to charge. Not all of our current electric grids are capable of keeping up with this demand without some serious upgrades. This could mean that our electricity bills will start increasing quite a bit.
Industry Issues
Switching entirely to EVs could make things difficult for people working in traditional car manufacturing companies. Factories may move towards automation with EVs, which would put assembly line workers out of a job. Similarly, anyone working in supply and maintenance might not get the same demand in a market that’s EV-dominated.
Energy Sector Issues
Similarly, switching to EVs will also affect the oil and gas industries, which provide jobs for millions of Americans. A sudden EV takeover could force many people out of a job. With some careful planning, this transition could be a little smoother, but currently, it looks like it’ll cause some major problems.
Range Anxiety
“Range anxiety” is the fear that you won’t find a gas station in time and you’ll be left stranded. Unfortunately, it’s a fear that even people with EVs have, as fewer charging stations and longer charge times are a genuine concern for many people. If you’re out in the sticks, this problem is even worse.
Slow in Emergencies
When every second counts, the last thing you want is to wait around for an EV to charge. Right now, EVs can’t match the speedy pit stops of gas cars during an emergency. This could affect the response times of ambulance services and disaster response teams in urgent situations, which could be a disaster.
International Import
Most EV batteries are made overseas in places like China, which could leave us dependent on these countries. If there are supply chain problems or political issues, this could affect our own EV industry. Our ability to use our roads shouldn’t be at the mercy of global politics and economics.
The Future
Currently, there aren’t many clear rules or laws for dealing with old EVs and their batteries. Without these solid plans, we risk turning these vehicles into a major environmental problem, so we need to create policies before it’s too late. Lawmakers and industries need to work together to figure out EV laws before we even think about making the switch.
What About Our Health?
We also don’t really know the long-term health effects of the batteries and electromagnetic fields in EVs. Although some health experts have said that continuous exposure should be safe, there haven’t been any conclusive long-term studies. Who knows what effect they might actually be having on us?
Tomorrow’s Trash
EV technology changes pretty quickly, and even though a vehicle might be top-of-the-line today, it could be outdated tomorrow. After all, we already know that many companies deliberately plan for their technology to be useless in a few years, and EVs are no different. This could cause more waste and more questions about what to do with it.
Expensive Repairs
Getting an electric vehicle repaired can get pretty expensive, as they each have specialized parts that only certain people know how to install. When you take an EV to a mechanic, you might end up spending more than you actually bargained for. Even repair shops will suffer, as they’ll have to pay for special training for their workers.
Insurance Costs
Let’s not forget the insurance bill, as you’ll likely have to deal with higher premiums, thanks to those higher costs to buy and fix. One study found that EVs cost approximately $44 extra per month in insurance. For some people, it’s hard to justify paying this cost when they can just stick to a regular gas car.
Less Variety
As carmakers produce more EVs, there are fewer options for traditional gas vehicles. If you’re not fully on board with electric cars yet, then you’re going to struggle to find a new gas car that’s going to fit your needs. Everyone should have the right to choose what they want, for whatever reason they want.
Safety Issues
Electric vehicles also have unique issues during an accident, as damaged batteries can catch fire or release toxic gases. This can create more problems for passengers and first responders than they wouldn’t get with a gas car. To deal with this, emergency services will need to specially train their workers, and not all of them have the money to do this.
Losing Taxes
Nobody likes paying taxes, but fuel taxes can help a lot with road maintenance and funding infrastructure. But with so many people switching to electric vehicles, there may be less funding available to support this, which could affect entire populations. Governments will have to find a way to replace this lost income, and fast.
Weather Problems
Unlike most gas vehicles, EVs can suffer from reduced performance and battery efficiency in extreme weather conditions. If it’s very hot or cold, these vehicles don’t work as well, which could potentially leave some people stranded. This could make even your daily commute into a nightmare.
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