What Is The Social Impact Of Electric Cars? – Shrink That Footprint

Electric car sales have increased steadily – what is the social impact?

The number of electric cars in use has increased steadily in the last decade. This is due to better technologies, government incentives, more and better manufacturing capacity, greater electric vehicle infrastructure, and a consumer population willing to switch to vehicles that have a lower carbon profile. In the US, the new “Inflation Reduction Act” directs $369 billion of government incentives to manufacturing and resource extraction for support of electric vehicles. But what is the social impact of electric cars? How do they benefit society as a whole? There’s a lot more to electric cars than meets the eye. In this blog post, we will discuss the social impact of electric cars and how they are changing the world for the better.

Electric vehicle sales have trended positive over the last ten years. Chart shows the monthly sales of electric vehicles in the US. (source: BTS.gov)

Introduction – Social Impact

Electric cars have been around for over a century, but they only recently started to become popular. The first electric car was built in 1891, and the technology has come a long way since then. Today’s electric cars are much more efficient and reliable than their early ancestors. And thanks to advances in battery technology, they can now travel for hundreds of miles on a single charge.

One of the main reasons why people are interested in electric cars is because they’re environmentally friendly. The zero-emissions performance of electric cars is great for reducing an individual’s carbon footprint. Travel, including personal travel and commuting to work, is a major contributor to carbon emissions. And because EVs are so efficient, they use less energy than traditional gasoline cars. The combination of higher efficiency in terms of miles per kWh of energy used and the nature of the electric grid containing renewable sources powering it means electric cars reduce your carbon footprint in multiple, synergistic ways.

Another reason is electricity is cheaper than gas on a per mile basis for both United States and Europe. This obviously only holds true as long as gasoline prices stay at their prices and not drop too far. Given the geopolitical events of 2022, and the energy crisis engendered by the Russia-Ukraine war, in the short term electrical vehicles seem like a smart move. In short, you’ll save money on fuel costs with an electric car. And because electric cars lack the complex set of moving parts of an internal combustion engine, they require less maintenance than gasoline cars. As a result, you’ll save money on maintenance and repairs with an electric car.

What Are The Social Impact Of Electric Cars?

The social impacts of electric cars are many and varied. They range from increased environmental awareness to reduced dependence on oil-producing countries. Here are top 7 social impacts of electric cars:

1. Foster Greater Integration And Decentralization Of Power Consumption And Generation – Vehicle-to-Grid Technology

Car batteries are large energy store devices. The largest Tesla battery is 100 kWh and the smallest ones are over 30 kWh. Even the smallest one has enough capacity cover the average power needs of a home for one day. Given the scale of car batteries, they are viable as energy stores. Consumers will take advantage of drawing energy from both solar and the electric grid, optimizing for off-peak usage times, and returning energy into other cars, their homes, buildings, and the grid. In other words, an electric car becomes a player in the storage and delivery of energy. This concept is also known as vehicle-to-grid or V2G.

The other way that electric cars decrease centralization is due to the concurrent adoption of personal renewable energy generation systems. Solar panels for the home installed over the annual home capacity is well-suited to redirect to the refueling of electric cars parked at home. For medium distance travel this is viable with Level 2 chargers that will add about 200 miles of range for a modern electric vehicle of moderate efficiency. This additional use-case incentivizes the adoption of renewable energy systems.

2. Foster Development Of Electrification Infrastructure

In the above, we suggest that cars will assist in decentralization. The flip side, better centralized infrastructure, will also be helped by greater adoption of electric cars. From the beginning, electric cars and charging stations have faced a chicken-and-egg problem or the network-effect challenge. Without the cars, there’s no incentive to build a large charging infrastructure, and conversely, without a large charging infrastructure, there’s a disincentive to buy electric cars. Tax credits for buying cars, car owners profiting from V2G, have the effect of overcome the challenges to building such infrastructure.

3. Increase Environmental Awareness

Electric cars are often seen environmentally friendly compared to conventional petrol or diesel cars. This is because they produce zero emissions at time of using, which helps to reduce air pollution and combat climate change. Of course, electric cars use power usually has a carbon footprint. For example, a power generation facility that burns coal to make electricity has a dirty footprint of 500 to 1000 g CO2 / kWh. As our share of electric cars creep into the low single digit percentages, the visibility will have a positive effect of informing and convincing others that the time is right to impact the environment positively by switching to an EV.

4. Reduce Dependence On Natural gas and Gasoline/Oil-Producing Countries

Electric cars don’t rely on oil for fuel, so there’s less need for imported oil. This reduces dependence on oil-producing countries and increases stability in energy prices. Where would the electricity for cars come from if not fossil fuels? The major ones are nuclear, hydropower, wind and solar. Each country has its own energy source profile. A country like France has very low-carbon electricity derived from nuclear sources. Powering an electric car in France would therefore have very low carbon intensity.

5. Improve Local Air Quality

Because they emit little to nothing, electric cars replacing internal combustion engine cars will contribute to an improvement in the quality of the air in urban areas. That improvement is not due to the reduction of carbon dioxide, which in these amounts is relatively harmless short term but terrible long term for climate. The improvement will be due to the reduction in PM2.5, or “particulate matter of 2.5 microns or less”. Although no one has done a controlled trial of the harmful effects of PM2.5, the observational evidence, with caveats that come with any non-controlled observational study, is that these small particles have adverse effects on lungs, heart, and possibly other organs.

People who suffer from cardiopulmonary conditions will benefit tremendously. On the other hand, emissions will continue to be generated indirectly via our electricity generation grid. The health impact of such emissions are variable: they will be high where the grid depends on fossil fuels especially if its coal or oil, and low where the grid is biased to renewable fuels. Certain countries like South Africa still use a lot of oil in electricity generation and therefore switching to EVs will have a blunted impact on carbon emissions compared to countries like Iceland and Sweden which have successfully switched to geothermal and hydropower.

6. Provide Quieter Journeys, Roadways

Electric cars are much quieter than petrol or diesel cars, making for a more relaxing journey. This is also beneficial for people living near busy roads who would otherwise be constantly exposed to noise pollution. Reducing noise on a highway will not have as much impact as reducing it in dense city streets. The reduction of noise, on first impression, seems to be entirely beneficial because most people will say that noise is not pleasant. However, studies have found that a reduction in noise has the potential to be dangerous, because it reduces warning of a nearby vehicle which nevertheless remains dangerous as a large, heavy, high speed object with the potential to injure.

7. Reduce Costs to Operate

Electric cars are cheaper to run than conventional gasoline cars because the distance traveled per unit of energy for an electric car is higher than that for gasoline cars. Even after accounting for the different costs per unit of energy of electricity vs gasoline, we find that this conclusion holds true: electric cars cost less to run than gasoline equivalents. This will save you money in the long run, especially if you have a long commute.

8. Create A New Interest And Hobby Niche For Car Culture

Hobbyists can explore new technologies such as battery management and regenerative braking, as well as modify the electronics and software in their vehicles. Additionally, electric vehicles can be used for drag racing, autocross, and other motorsports activities.

Electric cars can also be used for restoration projects, allowing hobbyists to explore the design and engineering of the vehicles. In short, electric vehicles provide car hobbyists with a new set of challenges and opportunities. Electric vehicles have successfully penetrated mainstream racing entertainment and a very popular event is Formula E racing which involves electric cars. Interestingly, the race is characterized by technology spectacles that aren’t available or less prominent for combustion engine cars.

How Do You Take Care of Electric Cars?

While electric cars have many benefits, they also require some special care and maintenance. Here are some tips on how to maintain your electric car:

1. Read the owner’s manual carefully. This will help you understand how your car works and what needs to be done to keep it running properly.

2. Check the battery regularly. Electric cars rely on batteries for power, so it’s important to make sure that they are in good condition. You should check the battery level before each drive and recharge it when necessary.

3. Keep the charging system clean. The charging system for an electric car is different from that of a gasoline car, so it’s important to keep it clean and free of debris.

4. Avoid short journeys. Starting and stopping an electric car repeatedly can put a strain on the battery, so it’s best to avoid short journeys if possible.

5. Plan your route carefully. Seasoned electric car drivers know that planning can help you avoid running out of charge halfway through your journey. Checking the map before you set off will help you find the quickest route and allow you to plan stops at charging stations along the way.

6. Invest in a home charger. If you have an electric car, it’s worth investing in a home charger so that you can charge your car overnight while you sleep. This will save you time and hassle during the day.

7. Join an EV driver community. There are many online communities for electric vehicle (EV) drivers where you can ask questions, share advice, and find out about events and meetups in your area. Joining one of these communities is a great way to connect with other EV owners and learn more about driving and maintaining your car.

How Much Do Electric Cars Cost?

The answer varies depending on the make and model of the car, as well as the country in which it is being purchased. In the United States, for example, the average price of a new electric car is around $30,000. However, some models can cost as much as $100,000 or even more. In Europe, the lowest cost model is in the range of €10,000 or about $10,000 at 2022 exchange rates, for example the Dacia Spring that styles itself as a “city car”.

In other countries, such as China, the prices of electric cars are often much lower. This is due in part to government subsidies and incentives that make buying an electric car more affordable. As a result, the cost of an electric car is something that can vary widely from one country to another.

Summary

Electric cars will have far-reaching and long-lasting effects. They have a double benefit: they cut down on pollution and climate change while also saving money for motorists. Furthermore, electric cars are significantly quieter than gas-powered vehicles, making them perfect for use in urban areas. The rising popularity of electric vehicles is justified by their many advantages. The environmental and economic benefits of electrified cars are only expected to grow as more people make the switch.