Issues sited by these critics
of EVs include the mining of materials for batteries, more specifically the environmental
damage it causes, and the treatment of people employed in those industries. But surely all energy
comes at a cost. The extraction of coal, gas and oil all involve a great deal
of disruption and intrusion into the Earth’s fragile ecosystems and that’s
before you start considering fracking. (Even the covering fields normally used for agriculture with solar panels has an impact on the land’s ability to
photosynthesise.) The damage done harvesting the materials needed for modern
batteries must be weighed against that done by fossil fuel companies. And it’s
up to individual governments to sort any human rights issues, and not the energy
companies, green or otherwise.
Even EV battery afterlife,
another area of concern highlighted by doubters, seems to have been addressed
with a plan for many homes in the future to use them as storage. With a world increasingly geared
towards renewables, some parts admittedly slower on the take up than others, a
seismic shift will surely come that sees a lack of demand for fossil fuels and
an industry no longer viable.
Change will come and if the
history of transport is anything to go by, It’ll come quickly. It’s interesting
to see how things really are gathering pace. There are more charging points
around now, even if we don’t always like to admit the fact. And I see more cars
‘plugged in’ on people’s driveways. The Highway Code announced changes recently
that give pedestrians priority at some junctions – a recognition of some safety
issues associated with electric vehicles regarding sound, maybe, but almost
certainly in preparation for a future that’s nearly upon us.
