Global Climate Change
The effect of hybrid electric vehicles on global climate is definitely a positive one. As seen on multiple diagrams and graphs on the Pros & Cons page, HEVs have significantly less GHG emissions when compared to their conventional counterparts. However, even with increased fuel economy and gas mileage resulting in lower emissions, HEVs still have higher emissions than PHEVs and EVs. Several studies have shown that PHEVs and EVs can have much lower life cycle GHGs relative to HEVs. It is important to note, however, that even though these studies took into account non-direct emissions from the source of electricity that was used by the PHEV or EV, such values are not always accurate since the source of electricity depends heavily on time of day, peak electricity, and most importantly, where you live. For this reason, a PHEV could be less environmentally friendly in Pennsylvania but more environmentally friendly in California, relative to a HEV in the exact same states. Overall, HEVs are the safe option, regardless of where you live.
Given the fact that GHG emissions from transportation alone are a large portion of total U.S. GHG emissions, which also happens to be one of the largest emitters of GHGs in the world, it is unequivocal that switching to a hybrid can put a significant dent in global climate change.
Environmental Pollutants
As noted previously, HEVs do not have zero tailpipe emissions like EVs do, therefore there is always some GHG emissions from HEVs. These values, however, are significantly better than the GHG emissions from their conventional counterparts. So, are HEVs really the silver bullet we’ve been looking for? Not quite. One of the few challenges with any hybrid, let alone HEVs, is that more car batteries need to be produced, which in turn create a larger problem for their disposal. Hybrids are relatively new to the U.S. auto market, so only a small number of them have approached the end of their useful lives. As a result, few post-consumer batteries from electric drive vehicles are available, thus limiting the extent of battery-recycling infrastructure. As electric drive vehicles become increasingly common, the battery-recycling will hopefully expand.
Widespread battery recycling would keep hazardous materials from entering the waste stream, both at the end of a battery’s useful life, as well as during its production. Work is now under way to develop battery-recycling processes that minimize the life-cycle impacts of using lithium-ion and other kinds of batteries in vehicles. Separation of different kinds of battery materials is often a stumbling block for the recovery of high-value materials. Therefore, battery design that takes dis-assembly and recycling in mind is important to the success of hybrid sustainability. Standardization of batteries, materials, and cell design would also make recycling easier and more cost-effective.
Economic Development
HEVs, along with plug-in hybrids, have the potential to stimulate large scale economic development. One of the most important advances with HEVs is the production of medium and heavy-duty HEVs. Given how much transportation costs almost every industry, whether it be diary products, or clothing, saving money on transportation can lead to massive increases in profitability, across the nation. HEVs also result in lower household expenditure on fuel and these savings will eventually be spent or invested, thereby stimulating the U.S. economy again. Advances in technology and increased production of American HEVs can also stimulate the U.S. economy if we choose to import these models.
The second way in which hybrids can stimulate the economy happens to be the same manner in which it will provide the U.S. with energy security. As mentioned previously, in 2012 the U.S. spent $200 billion on foreign oil, and much of this went toward transportation. Hybrids have the potential to cut this value but a significant factor, thereby taking the United States one step closer to independence from foreign oil. This will in turn save the U.S. billions of dollars, which is critical at this time given the fact that U.S. debt is still rapidly increasing.
Environmental Justice
HEVs don’t necessarily cause serious environmental injustice. However, there is one issue with HEVs that has potential to cause serious environmental injustice; mining for lithium. As mentioned previously, lithium-ion batteries are one of the most common battery types used in hybrids. They are the same batteries used in most portable consumer electronics as well. This is due to their high energy density. However lithium mining will have to increase exponentially, in order to provide sufficient lithium-ion batteries for the rapidly going markets of HEVs, PHEVs and EVs. Therefore this issue has the potential to cause serious environmental injustice to those that live in areas in and around which excessive lithium mining will take place.
Environmental Policy
Currently, policies surrounding HEVs, let alone all hybrids and EVs, are definitely positive ones. Several policies are already in place in order to give owners of HEVs federal tax credits and state incentives as well. There is not much more policy required for the success and sustainability of HEVs. PHEVs and EVs, however, are a different story. Many important decisions need to be taken on what sources of fuel are used in order to produce electricity for these vehicles, along with other important decisions surrounding charging stations.
Author: Raji Gunasekera
Editor: Justin Pie
References
http://cta.ornl.gov/vtmarketreport/pdf/2014_vtmarketreport_full_doc.pdf
http://www.afdc.energy.gov/fuels/electricity.html
http://www.rmi.org/Content/Files/Technical%20and%20feasible.pdf
Samaras, C., & Meisterling, K. (2008). Life cycle assessment of greenhouse gas emissions from plug-in hybrid vehicles: Implications for policy. Environment Science Technology