Government/Environment/Electric cars

GOVERNMENT/ENVIRONMENT/ELECTRIC CARS
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Introduction
There exists a controversy about the significance of the total impact of electric vehicles to the environment. Electric vehicles impact the environment through levels of pollution, energy consumption and reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared gasoline driven vehicles. Government incentives and subsidies are important in increasing access to electric vehicles because these vehicles significantly lower the negative impact on the environment. The problem presented in this paper centers on demystifying whether driving vehicles on running electricity rather than gasoline is a good choice. The argument indicates that vehicles running on gasoline have more damaging impact to global warming and pollution than electric vehicles. This argument holds water regardless of the type of energy used to generate power for electric vehicles. Electric vehicles’ contribution to global warming gas is mainly attributed to the various types of energy used to generate electricity used to power them such as coal, natural gas, nuclear power, solar power and wind power.
In 2009, the US government pledged its support to the manufacture and subsidies on purchases of electric vehicles, batteries and components. President Obama envisioned assisting the deployment of about one million vehicles by2015. About twenty four governments globally subsidize electric vehicles purchases. In Quebec and Ontario in Canada, UK and US governments offer subsidies of C$8500, £5000 and $7500 respectively. In the US, customers in some states enjoy tax incentives for instance, in West Virginia; customers receive a credit worth $15000 on purchase and $10000 for erecting a personal charging station (Zehner, 2013). Establishment of these subsidies and incentives policies is aimed at allowing the US to drastically reduce the amount of greenhouse gases in the environment, as well as counter dependence on oil as the primary source of energy.
Opposing views
Those opposing the government’s stance to subsidize electric cars acquisition particularly the conservatives, often cite that grants and credits hurt public policy and the overall economy. Some environmentalists indicate that government subsidies and inducements to buy electric vehicles such as free parking are unnecessary. They indicate that such policies are geared towards expediting the occurrence of the impeding environmental crisis. They allude to assessments about increased greenhouse gas emissions during manufacture of electric vehicles, the type of energy used in generating electric power and the eventual disposal of the vehicle. Their assessments conclude that greenhouse gas emissions’ effect of electric vehicles over a lifetime has damaging effects on health and environment and that these effects exceed the effects of oil fuelled vehicles (Hoffman, 2013). They evaluate the emissions produced in generating electric power form nuclear and fossil fuel. They also evaluate emissions produced during oil extraction and indicate that proponents of electric powered vehicles facilitate the shift of emissions to urban areas. This is because in their opinion, electric power generation occurring in the urban areas produces emissions that were traditionally a preserve of non-urban areas. Their purported increase in greenhouse emissions informs their decision to disqualify electric vehicles as a viable way of greening the transport sector. They instead suggest that the government explores options such as bike lanes (Hassler, 2013).
In as much as options such as using bikes on bike lanes is one of the greenest transport method, it is important to underscore that it is unable to meet the transport needs of a rapidly growing economy. This option is just an aspect of broader solutions required to cut down on emissions. People and goods require moving to facilitate economic development and national security. It is noteworthy that a substantial number of electric vehicles customers acknowledge the validity of the view that power emissions contribute to increasing amounts of greenhouse gases. They strive to explore cleaner methods of charging their vehicles to counter the effect of greenhouse gases emitted through power generation. For instance, it is reported that over fifty percent of all electric vehicle buyers opt for a hundred percent clean energy to power their vehicles through solar and wind energy. In California and Maryland, fifty six and seventy percent respectively of electric vehicle owners report using renewable energy such as solar power to charge their cars. Tesla Motors charging stations also rely on solar power to charge electric vehicles (Hassler, 2013).
Opponents also cite the high levels of greenhouse gases emitted during manufacture of electric vehicles and solar panels. They indicate that large scale manufacture of solar panels uses heavy metals whose production emit poisonous gases which have twenty three thousand more times toxicity than carbon dioxide. They also indicate that more greenhouse emissions result from burning fossil fuels to acquire materials needed to manufacture solar cells and wind turbines, their fabrication, assembly and maintenance. Even when all these processes result in carbon emissions, it is important to appreciate that solar energy panels are useful for the diversification of energy sources. It is also important to realize that they are essential necessities and just like other electronics such as speedboats and televisions. The fact that their manufacture contributes to carbon emission does not override their importance to global development. It is also worth noting that electric vehicles consume lesser fuel in the long run (Hassler, 2013).
Opponents also cite the environmental concern about unrecyclable battery elements. They indicate that it consumes high energy to mine and transport components such as lithium and rare earth elements used in battery manufacture. They also cite that when disposed, they release toxic chemicals in the environment. However, research is ongoing on the most efficient batteries for increased battery life as well as their environmental impact. So far, it has indicated that Li-ion batteries compared to NiMH batteries are manufactured using materials presenting less danger to the environment and they also have a longer life cycle. Further research has also enabled the discovery of alternatives to materials used in manufacturing NiMH batteries, which has positive impacts on the environment. Research is an ongoing process and there are hopes of discovering other less damaging materials to be used in battery manufacture (European Commission, 2011).
Another opposing view against electric vehicles indicates that they are untenable in reducing environmental pollution because electric generation plants emit significant carbon amounts. This view fails to take account of the fact that there are plans to ensure that the power generation plants in the future will use cleaner alternative fuels such as nuclear energy rather than dirty coal. Furthermore, one study backed by the Electric drive transportation Association showed that there are significant reductions of greenhouse gases even with use of coal fired power in electric vehicles (Hassler, 2013).
Personal point of view
Away from the opposing views, government subsidies on electric vehicles are important because electric vehicles generate substantially lesser amount of carbon dioxide emissions than vehicles that run on gasoline. This view acknowledges that even though coal is used in electricity generation, gasoline still produces higher amounts of carbon dioxide making electric vehicles a more viable option in the quest to reduce greenhouse emissions. An important factor in decision making about the most environmental friendly transport option is exploring the difference in reduction of greenhouse emissions between electric and conventional vehicles. For instance, it has been reported that Indiana, which relies on coal for electricity generation, hybrid vehicles are more environmental friendly than pure electric vehicles. This research also shows that using either electric or hybrid vehicles results in lower carbon emissions than using cars that run on gasoline. In Los Angeles, Pike Research indicated that gasoline powered vehicles produce double the amount of carbon emissions that all electric vehicles produce (Fong & Theel, 2012).
It is also impor...