A Ph.D. a student affirmed that electric vehicles are better for the environment than cars with internal combustion engines.
According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, even with the energy required to manufacture a lithium battery, the emissions associated with EVs over their lifetime are lower than those from a gas-powered car.
TikToker Rosh (@all_about_climate), a student with degrees in both Earth and climate science, posted an answer to a common myth about EVs. In the video, Rosh showed a clip of someone saying that the energy used to mine lithium for EV batteries has a greater environmental impact than gas-powered cars.
While Rosh said there are some environmental consequences from the production of EV batteries, the TikToker rejected the idea that internal combustion engines are better for the planet.
In the video, Rosh presented a graph from Generation Investment Management which showed that other metals have been mined significantly more than lithium in 2022. For example, about 1.3 million kilotonnes of iron were mined compared to 130 kilotonnes of lithium.
“The idea that it’s worse or even comparable to what we’re doing right now to maintain the status quo of fossil fuels is completely wrong,” Rosh said.
The EPA said the planet-friendly vehicles have a smaller carbon footprint than their gas counterparts because they have zero tailpipe emissions. In fact, a new study found that EVs zeroed out their carbon footprint in just two years on the road.
The transport sector is the biggest source of air pollution in the country. Switching to an EV can keep pollution out of the atmosphere and help you avoid paying for maintenance and high gas prices.
Hundreds of TikTok users responded to Rosh’s video. Many commentators agreed with Rosh’s defense of EVs and the manufacture of lithium batteries.
“The oil guy in the video reminds me of a tobacco company owner who says smoking is good,” commented one.
“[You] you hear that all the time and it’s 100% wrong,” said another commenter. “Basically propaganda from the oil industry. Lithium batteries are fully recyclable.”
Researchers are also constantly working to make battery recycling more efficient to create a circular economy with these batteries.
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