Introduction
The invention of Electric Vehicles (EV) brings both advantages and disadvantages to the world because it addresses the problem of air pollution caused by Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles (ICEV). However, batteries utilized in EVs can contribute to greenhouse emissions during their manufacturing process without a proper recycling measure. The problem with oil consumption is that it’s processing from crude oil to petrol releases air pollutants. In addition, ICEVs further emit harmful greenhouse gases while burning petrol as fuel. EVs can mitigate the issue as a solution by eliminating the latter part of the problem entirely and minimizing its impact on air pollution during the battery manufacturing stage through the use of recycling and clean energy. Thus, EVs release a lower amount of air pollutants during their lifetime of use due to the use of electrical energy instead of fossil fuel derivatives, which significantly improves society’s well-being and public health.
Problem and Application
The key purpose of EVs is to eliminate the direct contribution to air pollution through emissions. The invention of the Tesla Model 3 can help solve the problem of air pollution because it is affordable, releases no air pollutants while used, and contributes less to air pollution during manufacturing. According to Natural Resources Defense Council, air pollution is the release of particles into the air that are damaging to human health as well as the planet (Mackenzie and Turrentine par. 1). Air pollution is made of greenhouse gases, such as CO2, CO, or NO2, hazardous air pollutants, such as mercury or lead, and natural particles, such as mold or pollen (Mackenzie and Turrentine par. 7).
According to World Air Quality Report, air pollution is the most significant health threat, which “causes asthma, heart disease, lung illnesses, and cancer” (“2021 World Air Quality Report” p. 4). For example, the worst case of air pollution can be observed in Bangladesh, whereas the best air quality is in New Caledonia (“2021 World Air Quality Report” p. 9). According to the Institute of Physics Publishing Science, EV uses a high voltage battery, which provides electric energy to be turned into mechanical energy, but ICEV uses internal combustion from fossil fuel derivatives, which are burned to compress the air inside the engine (Upadhyay et al. p. 5).
The main sources of air pollution are coal combustion at thermal power plants, vehicle exhaust gases, metallurgical and chemical plants, acid rain, and waste. Coal-fired plants emit hazardous pollutants CO2 and PM2.5 into the atmosphere, and exhaust gases are the main source of SO2 (“2021 World Air Quality Report” p. 21). Acid rain falls as poisonous precipitation, and landfills are also extremely hazardous to human health, as many of them do not meet environmental standards. All these emissions into the atmosphere form the smog that people breathe. Accordingly, all of the above pollutants enter one’s lungs and, in turn, affect physical health (Mi and Masrur 91). Therefore, air pollution is harmful and detrimental to human health, and a significant portion of it is released by the internal combustion of petrol by ICEVs. EVs use electric energy, which eliminates the emissions caused by vehicle operation and crude oil processing, making a positive impact on society’s public health.
Positive Factor and Implication
Today, Tesla Model 3 has helped the society of the United States by improving public health. Tesla Model 3 had a positive impact on American public health because EVs release no air pollutants during direct use and operation. According to the American Lung Association, Tesla Model 3 has benefited American society because the transition from ICEVs to EVs leads to 2.8 million fewer asthma attacks, 13.4 million fewer sick days, and 110000 fewer deaths (Lakhani par. 3). EV is proving to be more than a solution to air pollution. It also improves air quality and public health because air pollutants are highly damaging and harmful to the overall well-being of humans. In addition, greenhouse emissions contribute to climate change, which causes turbulence and disturbances in climatic patterns. More extreme weather conditions, droughts, hurricanes, floods, and other natural forces cause direct damage to public health and safety.
Although EVs do not solve these issues completely, they contribute to their solution as well. EVs are powered by the energy received from batteries installed directly in the electric automobile, and these batteries are used not only to power the vehicle but also to operate the headlights and other personal needs of the driver. The most common ones are lithium-ion, ultracapacitors, lead-acid, and nickel-metal hydride (Mi and Masrur 81). EVs have more batteries than conventional gasoline vehicles, and thus, the sheer number and scale of these power units increases the manufacturing needs exponentially (Mi and Masrur 78). Thus, each EV product demands substantially more battery materials as well as energy to create them. In other words, it is important to note that EVs still contribute to air pollution during the battery production process.
Negative Factor and Implication
EVs, including Tesla Model 3, negatively impact society by contributing to air pollution during the processes of battery manufacturing. Tesla Model 3 had negative consequences on American society’s public health because batteries are produced by the use of energy, which is not necessarily derived from green and clean sources. According to the Environmental Protection Agency EPA, the invention of the electric vehicle negatively impacted society because an EV generates a higher degree of carbon pollution than the production of ICEV due to an extra energy requirement for EV high voltage battery manufacturing (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency par. 13). EPA proved that EVs negatively affected air pollution. It did so by revealing an increased carbon footprint of an EV compared to an ICEV. Although an EV will still be less contributive to the air pollution during its lifetime of non-usage of fossil fuel derivatives than an ICEV, the difference in the production process must not go unacknowledged. There needs to be more developments in recycling of batteries. The invention of the Tesla Model 3 had negative consequences for American society’s public health because EVs emit more air pollutants during their production stage compared to ICEVs.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Tesla Model 3, alongside other EVs, was a good idea because they release fewer air pollutants during their lifetime of utilization, which positively impacts society through its public health despite its higher carbon footprint during the production phase. Air pollution is highly detrimental to human health since it causes a multitude of diseases, such as cancer and heart disease. EVs do not use fossil fuel derivatives, which means they do not release air pollutants during their usage. However, EVs can leave higher carbon emissions during their manufacturing stage compared to ICEVs.
Works Cited
“2021 World Air Quality Report.” IQAir. Web.
Lakhani, Nina. “US Transition to Electric Vehicles Would Save Over 100,000 Lives by 2050 – Study.” The Guardian. Web.
Mackenzie, Jillian, and Jeff Turrentine. “Air Pollution: Everything You Need to Know.” NRDC. Web.
Mi, Chris, and M. Abdul Masrur. Hybrid Electric Vehicles: Principles and Applications with Practical Perspectives. Wiley, 2017.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Electric Vehicle Myths. United States Federal Government, 2021. Web.
Upadhyay, Abhishek, et al. “Electric Vehicles over Contemporary Combustion Engines.” IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, vol. 635, pp. 1-12.