The electrification of cars and buses is a big step towards zero emissions and a society with good air quality. A green and healthy future. But is it true that electric vehicles don’t contribute to any pollution?
Let’s start with some history. Electric cars might seem like something new and innovative. But in fact, it isn’t. Did you know the first car ever was electric? Already in the beginning of the 1800s scientists in different countries started to do research and experiment with motors and batteries. The first car as we see it, was an electric wagon with three wheels made by Robert Anderson around 1830. Electric vehicles were a big thing in the late 1800s and the beginning of the 1900s. 1886 Carl Benz introduced his car with an internal combustion engine (ICE) running on petrol. When the ICE cars evolved to be started with electricity instead of with a crank the electric cars got competition on the market. Electric cars became expensive in comparison with petrol cars due to the battery prices and marginalised capacity. The 1900s has been a century focusing on internal combustion engines, but in the 1990s electric cars slowly got back on the market and are now an important part of the fight against pollution and climate change.
End of history lesson. Now, let’s take a look at the critical parts of electric cars. Critical voices have been loud about the production of the electricity that electric cars need. Electricity contributes to emissions of CO2 when it is produced, just like petrol and diesel does. The production of electricity in Sweden however, contributes less to emissions than electricity produced in Germany, for example. Another thing to consider is the production of lithium batteries used in electric cars. The batteries contribute more to emissions of CO2 than the production of cars with internal combustion engines.
A new report from Umeå Universitet gives another perspective on electric cars and how they contribute to pollution and poor air quality. Electric cars are usually heavier and have wider tires than petrol and diesel cars. This makes electric cars more capable of loosening small particles from the roadway that end up in the air and in our lungs. Even more when they have studded tires. This kind of problem is already an issue in big cities like Stockholm. According to the report, the asphalt particles are harming our lungs and can cause heart diseases and psychological problems. Health problems due to pollution are already a reality and something that needs to be stopped. Otherwise the expenses of the public health, environment and economic loss for society will increase.
Sensorbee is part of the solution to these problems. With technology made to measure emissions and pollution both inside and outside you get necessary data to fight poor air quality. When the pollution is measured you get the facts needed to take action.
Do you want to know more about our technology and how we together can fight pollution and poor air quality? Contact us!
Comentários