31 July, 2021

How EVs Can Help to Tackle Climate Change

• What’s happening with climate change?
• What damage has gas cars done to the planet?
• Are EVs much better for the environment?
• Will everyone drive EVs in the future?
• Are there grants to help buy EVs?
• EV charging statistics
• Getting started with EV charging

 

It’s likely you are more than aware of climate change and that it is having a negative impact on the environment and our planet. Doing things like recycling, reusing plastic bags and using reusable cups and cutlery are all helping in the fight against climate change. However, did you know that electric vehicles (EVs) can also help to tackle climate change? 

 

​​What’s Happening with Climate Change?

Climate change is a worldwide problem, fuelled by our actions as human beings. Our day-to-day activities, from burning fossil fuels to heat our homes and power our vehicles, to mass deforestation is causing an increase in carbon and other greenhouse gases to be emitted into the atmosphere. These gases are creating a layer around our planet, called the Ozone Layer, and are causing the Earth’s heat to become trapped and unable to escape. 

This trapped heat is causing the Earth’s temperature to increase. Since 1880 the global temperature has increased by 2 degrees celsius, which although seems small, has already had significant environmental effects around the globe, such as intensifies heavy rainfall, natural disasters, melting ice caps and plant and animal extinction. 

 

 

What Damage Have Gas Cars Done to the Planet?

We’ve already touched on the fact that gasoline cars and vehicles have had an impact on climate change, but what exactly have they done and what damage have they caused to the planet? 

Gas cars and vehicles run on fuel, either petrol or diesel. When these fuels are burned, the process that essentially allows a vehicle to accelerate, this causes the release of carbon emissions into the atmosphere through the exhaust pipe. These emissions then contribute towards the Ozone Layer. 

Vehicles are one of the biggest contributors towards air pollution, producing one-third of the air pollution in the US, according to the National Geographic, with transport as a whole accounting for one quarter of global CO2 emissions and three quarters of this figure coming from motorbikes, cars, trucks and buses.

Looking at the average petrol car in the UK, it will produce the equivalent of 180g of CO2 per km. However, the bigger the car, the more emissions it produces. With so many using their cars daily and for small journeys that could be done by bicycle or on foot, vehicles are causing severe damage to the planet.  

 

 

Are EVs Much Better for the Environment?

Electric vehicles are an alternative and more sustainable way to travel. Instead of using petrol or diesel, they run off of a rechargeable battery, which means they emit fewer carbon emissions and air pollutants into the atmosphere than gasoline cars. 

With the use of electric vehicles, our communities, cities and roads will be cleaner, especially beneficial for pedestrians and cyclists, who are the ones most exposed to vehicle fumes when on the roads. In one year, an electric car can save an average 1.5 million grams of CO2, compared to its gasoline equivalent.

Electric car users can actually continue to reduce the impact their EV has on the environment by switching their energy supplier to one that uses renewable energy. Therefore when the vehicle is charging, you can ensure that no additional fossil fuels are being used within the EVs life cycle. 

 

Will Everyone Drive EVs in the Future?

Eventually… Yes! Countries such as the UK have already made a commitment to be Net Zero by 2050 and the UK Government is banning the production and sale of new gasoline vehicles by 2030. This means that within 10 years, any new vehicle purchased will have to be electric. Although this still means second hand gasoline vehicles will be in circulation, it is still a positive step in the right direction. 

It is therefore likely that other countries around the rest of the globe will follow suit and it’s predicted that gasoline vehicles will be filtered out over time.

 

 

Are There Grants to Help Buy EVs?

There are plenty of support schemes for buying electric vehicles in the UK for both commercial and domestic use. 

The OZEV Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) provides businesses and organisations with 75% of the up-front funding towards EV charge point equipment. A voucher-based scheme, that grant can reduce the costs by up to £14,000, with a cap of £350 per socket and a maximum of 40 sockets per company. 

For those who want to install an EV charge point at their home, they can apply for the OZEV Electric Vehicle Home Charging Scheme (EVHS). Similar to the WCS, it provides £350 towards a charge point, with a maximum of two charge points per household. 

 

EV Charging Statistics

• Electric vehicles saved 8.4 million tonnes of CO2e within just one year.
• Around 7% of road vehicles in Britain are electric.

 

 

Getting Started with EV Charging

At eFaraday, we’ll take care of your OZEV grant application from start to finish, making it a simple and smooth process.

If you’re interested in making the switch to electric in a bid to improve your impact on climate change, get in touch for more information and a FREE quotation by calling 0330 002 1154.