Photo: Pixabay
Suppose Nikolaus Otto, Henry Ford, Gottlieb Daimler, and Carroll Shelby, among other great names in automotive history, were still here today. They'd marvel at the magnificence of what the industry has birthed – emissions-free electric vehicles. Engineers tell us it's the next step in automotive evolution, governments tell us it's good for the environment, and now medical practitioners are telling us it's necessary for our survival as a species on Earth.
Wait, what? Yes! You read that right. While the latter seems alarmist – it's backed by evidence in a recently released report by the ALA (American Lung Association). So, how will a Tesla, Lucid, or Rivian truck guarantee human survival?
Well, it's not what an electric vehicle will do to you as an individual but how the collective action of EV sales, specifically in the U.S., will help prevent deaths.
Several reports have made the connection between air pollution and severe health problems. A study done by Lancet in 2022 discovered that air pollution contributes to about 6.5 million deaths annually worldwide.
Other studies have shown that air pollution can lead to chronic conditions such as asthma, heart-related issues, depression, and Alzheimer's.
That's not all, the Environmental Protection Agency says; 95 percent of all CO emissions in big cities come from ICE vehicle tailpipes. When fuel burns in ICEs, the reaction between oxygen and fuel form Nitrogen Dioxide, which in high concentration can affect the human respiratory system.
In a separate report released earlier in the year, the ALA said that about 120 million people in the U.S. live in areas with polluted air.
Based on the Driving to Clean Air: Health Benefits of Zero-Emission Cars and Electricity report by ALA, there are enormous benefits if vehicle owners in the United States shift from ICEs to fully electric vehicles and clean energy. However, the potential benefits also depend on the action automakers and lawmakers take to rise to the occasion, potentially saving thousands of lives annually.
The report says that the move alone will cut pollution to the point 89,300 premature deaths will be avoided by 2050. There's more. There'll be about 2.2 million fewer reports of asthma attacks, and consequently, $978 billion and about 10 million fewer workdays lost in the next few decades.
As flowery as that sounds, it can only be accomplished if the U.S. strictly sells emissions-free passenger cars by 2035, regardless of whether some ICEs are still roaming the streets.
But there's more. The nation would also need to move to more sustainable clean electricity that doesn't rely on fossil fuels such as solar, wind, nuclear, and geothermal – to realize the full health benefit. Luckily, the Biden administration has shown interest in achieving 100 percent carbon-free electricity by 2035.
There are more benefits to the shift towards EVs other than climate change and the need for advancement in the automotive industry. For now, the ALA is holding its breath, hoping the Biden administration will clean up its act, with their first line of action being the proposed EPA tailpipe emissions rule.
Well, it's not what an electric vehicle will do to you as an individual but how the collective action of EV sales, specifically in the U.S., will help prevent deaths.
Several reports have made the connection between air pollution and severe health problems. A study done by Lancet in 2022 discovered that air pollution contributes to about 6.5 million deaths annually worldwide.
Other studies have shown that air pollution can lead to chronic conditions such as asthma, heart-related issues, depression, and Alzheimer's.
That's not all, the Environmental Protection Agency says; 95 percent of all CO emissions in big cities come from ICE vehicle tailpipes. When fuel burns in ICEs, the reaction between oxygen and fuel form Nitrogen Dioxide, which in high concentration can affect the human respiratory system.
In a separate report released earlier in the year, the ALA said that about 120 million people in the U.S. live in areas with polluted air.
Based on the Driving to Clean Air: Health Benefits of Zero-Emission Cars and Electricity report by ALA, there are enormous benefits if vehicle owners in the United States shift from ICEs to fully electric vehicles and clean energy. However, the potential benefits also depend on the action automakers and lawmakers take to rise to the occasion, potentially saving thousands of lives annually.
The report says that the move alone will cut pollution to the point 89,300 premature deaths will be avoided by 2050. There's more. There'll be about 2.2 million fewer reports of asthma attacks, and consequently, $978 billion and about 10 million fewer workdays lost in the next few decades.
As flowery as that sounds, it can only be accomplished if the U.S. strictly sells emissions-free passenger cars by 2035, regardless of whether some ICEs are still roaming the streets.
But there's more. The nation would also need to move to more sustainable clean electricity that doesn't rely on fossil fuels such as solar, wind, nuclear, and geothermal – to realize the full health benefit. Luckily, the Biden administration has shown interest in achieving 100 percent carbon-free electricity by 2035.
There are more benefits to the shift towards EVs other than climate change and the need for advancement in the automotive industry. For now, the ALA is holding its breath, hoping the Biden administration will clean up its act, with their first line of action being the proposed EPA tailpipe emissions rule.
Google News