If you believe the media at the moment, consumers are increasingly showing fear, uncertainty and doubt about electric vehicles (EVs). Local Green, Tim O’Neill, has worked in the EV industry for four years and driven over 50,000 electric miles. In this blog post, Tim shares his experience in response to some common myths.
Myth 1. “Brand new EV Sales are declining”
If I kick a ball up in the air it will keep rising but the rate it rises at will decrease until it reaches a peak height. This is a good analogy for electric vehicle sales – they have continued to rise month on month, year on year just at a decreasing rate of growth. This is partly due to simple maths (ie changes in small numbers drive higher percentage changes and vice versa). It is also due to the unsurprising fact that explosive growth is generally unsustainable with new technological breakthroughs. The real-life data shows that more electric vehicles are being sold compared with the previous year. In contrast, petrol and diesel vehicle sales are declining.
Myth 2. “EVs, in particular batteries, are bad for the environment”
Like many EV myths, this is another nuanced topic. In general, the manufacturing process of an electric vehicle does generate higher CO2 emissions due to the battery production. But according to the International Council on Clean Transportation, an EV will be cleaner once it’s reached 11,000 miles if driven in Europe. The mainstream media often mention the issue of “artisanal mining” of cobalt. This refers to health, safety and ethical concerns around mining practices in some African countries. In
fact, only a small, decreasing, fraction of global cobalt is mined in this manner. While many types of rechargeable batteries and catalysts in oil refining do use cobalt, the EV industry is moving away from its use. And newer EV battery types (ie LFP batteries) do not use cobalt at all.
Myth 3. “There are not enough electric car chargers”
From a standing start, UK’s electric car charging infrastructure has grown at an exponential rate. Almost every building in the UK already has electricity and installing a charging device is far less complicated than installing a petrol pump. Comparing data helps dispel this myth. In 2023, there were just over 4,000 petrol or diesel vehicles per petrol station, compared to 30 pure electric vehicles per ‘destination’ charging location. This doesn’t even factor in the large majority of EV owners who can charge at home.
Myth 4. “EVs cost too much”
While EVs are usually more expensive to buy than their fossil fuel equivalent, we’re now getting closer to price parity, especially in the used car market. And this argument often fails to factor in the total cost of car ownership, which is obviously a lot more than just buying the car. In terms of running costs, there’s a stark difference. Many owners have the luxury of home charging with special EV tariffs offering overnight prices as little as 7p/kWh. The cost to fully charge up a Tesla Model 3, for example, is around £4. Servicing costs are also minimal for EVs due to the very limited number of moving parts they have.
Myth 5. “EV’s are heavier than fossil fuelled cars, which causes more pollution”
There has been much talk in the press recently about the weight of EVs. We’ve seen outlandish claims about them potentially resulting in bridges and car parks collapsing. Cars in general have grown much larger (and therefore heavier) over recent decades – “autobesity” as it’s now called. Again, it’s a nuanced argument. Some EVs weigh roughly the same as their petrol or diesel equivalents, for example the Tesla model 3 vs the BMW 3 series. Ultimately, it’s not EVs specifically causing potholes but the sheer number of vehicles now on our roads and the ever growing popularity of SUV type vehicles.
Myth 6. “Electric cars are more likely to catch fire”
Most things in life are combustible, petrol more so than diesel, but lithium-ion batteries also fall into this category. The most accurate way to ascertain the fire risk of EVs vs petrol or diesel vehicles is to look at the high-level statistics. Researchers in Norway saw that combustion engine vehicles are five or six times more likely per 100,000 vehicles to catch fire than EVs (source the Norwegian Directorate for Civil Protection and Emergency Planning and Statistics Norway). It’s ironic that this myth persists considering that petrol and diesel vehicles are literally propelled by many tiny explosions!
This blog post has by no means been an exhaustive list. However, I hope it’s given you a greater understanding of EVs. There’s still an environmental impact to producing and using EVs, just as there is with petrol and diesel vehicles. Nonetheless they are measurably cleaner than combustion engine vehicles to operate and the science is clear: they’re key to decarbonising transport. We really need to change the media narrative on EVs to focus on the many benefits and help shift the automotive industry up a gear and further drive decarbonisation.
If you are a member of the Green Party or local to South Gloucestershire and have experience or insight to share please do contact the committee on enquiries@southglos.greenparty.org.uk.