Charging Ahead: The Rise of Electric Vehicles and Carbon Footprint Accountability

Global Climate Change has been the topic of countless debates over the past few years and has begun to wreak a massive threat to human well-being and the planet's health. To date, this is primarily in the form of unpredictable weather, frequent wildfire, and more intense tropical cyclones. The intensity of changes has especially affected the drier southern states, which have been besieged by drought. This makes it incredibly difficult for developers to build affordable housing in areas that have a dire need for it. This leaves many of us with the question – “what can I do about it?”

Although largely climate change is fueled by businesses and producers, there is a way you can help combat emission pollution. By switching to hybrid and plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs), you can diminish your own lifetime carbon emissions by roughly 54% (NRDC, 2015).

The topic of electric vehicles (EVs) adoption has grown massively in popularity over the past few years due to climate crisis awareness.

In 2020, electric vehicles accounted for less than 5% of all vehicle sales. Just two years later, in 2022, they accounted for 14%. Sales are expected to rise to 50% of all vehicle sales by 2030. (IEA, 2023)

Despite a strong trend toward electric vehicles, many consumers still need help to switch.

Here’s what they’re worried about:

1. Cost

2. Lack of charging stations

3. Lack of driving range

Consumers worry about transitioning to electric vehicles primarily because of these three factors. These are all valid concerns when deciding if purchasing an EV is right for you. Looking forward, through innovation, many of these concerns are quickly disappearing. The costs of electric vehicles and incentives from the U.S. government make electric vehicles far more economical. Charging station infrastructure is being built up incredibly fast. The driving range for EVs seems to increase with every new model.

Cost

The average cost of an EV in June 2022 was $58,104. This is far more expensive than what would be affordable for the average consumer, even with the tax credits available. Fast forwarding to June 2023, the average EV price is now down a staggering amount to $40,916. This is before you even mention that owning an EV can qualify you for a tax credit of up to $7,500- albeit with restrictions. (Kelley Blue Book, 2023) With the tax credit, the cost of an electric vehicle totals around 33,416 for a new electric vehicle. This price is affordable and, in some cases, cheaper than new vehicle purchases for families across the U.S.

Lack of Charging Stations

Another valid concern when considering an EV. Gas stations have been around for a long time and have had time to build and perfect their infrastructure. Charging stations have not. However, there are now over 130,000 public chargers nationwide. And they’ve grown by a rate of at least 40% since 2020. (White House, 2023) Although it’s inconvenient to plan down to the charging station, it is possible and rapidly becoming easier to drive from New York to California. Below is a map of current US charging stations.

Data produced by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels Data Center, and is up to date as of February 15, 2022

Lack of Driving Range

The driving range is an incredibly important factor for those looking to purchase an EV. This is how far you can travel on one charge. Or, in the case of gasoline cars, one tank of gas. The average driving range for a gasoline car is around 413 miles. The average electric model range is between 250-500 miles. This is largely a price and age-related factor. The newer electric vehicles tend to be far more efficient than older models. More expensive models tend to have larger batteries. Although the driving range for electric vehicles can be a valid concern, this is another concern that will disappear as EVs get more efficient and charging infrastructure is built up more.

Overall, it’s important for all of our communities to be more mindful of our carbon footprint. As we seek to right the course of global emissions, it is crucial that we have a sense of personal accountability for our own carbon footprint. In 2021, EVs cut the need for oil by 43.7 million barrels (Jenkins, 2022), bringing us closer to controlling the Climate Change crisis. Although gas cars will never disappear, EVs will likely capture more and more of the automobile market every year.