“You can’t connect the dots looking forward, you can only connect them looking backwards. So, you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in the future.”
Steve Jobs.
With time, people have realised that driving produces a lot of greenhouse gases that have led to global warming and air pollution in many countries. If you are up-to-date with the news, you would have realised that electric cars are the next “in thing” in many parts of the world. In Singapore, the number of electric cars has been on the rise ever since 2019, and even the government has set aside tax rebates under the Vehicular Emissions Scheme for the ownership of electric cars in Budget 2020 (Tan, 2020). Furthermore, with the increase in electric car charging points, car-sharing companies like BlueSG has emerged to give interested drivers the chance to test out electric cars before deciding on whether they would like to purchase one for themselves.
So, the question is, are electric cars really the solution to reduce carbon emissions on the roads, and are they that effective in slowing down the rate of global warming?
Here are some videos that discuss both sides of the story:
Proponents of Electric Cars
Proponents’ Main Arguments
- Electric cars are more efficient and it is a greener option in the long run.
- When driven, electric cars would not have the problem of incomplete combustion, and it will not release greenhouse gases, VOCs and PM2.5. Lesser air pollutants would be released into the atmosphere, which reduces the chances of health risks arising from air pollution.
- There is an increase in renewable sources of energy in recent years and possibly into the future as well. Since most countries that introduced electric cars into their markets are developed countries, they are more likely to have the financial capabilities to afford renewable sources of energy like water, wind and air to power the charging process of electric cars.
Opponents of Electric Cars
Opponents’ Main Arguments
- Manufacturing stage of electric cars would also involve a large carbon footprint, including the stages of mining for lithium for battery and transportation of electric cars to different parts of the globe.
- Although no harmful air pollutants are emitted from the car during driving, the charging process might not be as green too as the sources of electricity can come from non-renewable energy sources like coal, which can also emit quite a significant proportion of carbon footprint and harmful air pollutants.
My Thoughts
There are always two sides to a story and in my opinion, if I have the choice to choose my preferred mode of transport, I would not be choosing cars that are powered by gasoline or electricity, especially when Singapore has such a comprehensive transportation system – buses, trains and private hires (if necessary). Although electric cars might seem like a greener solution to the problem of air pollution caused by gasoline cars, the manufacturing process and maintenance of the car would still require some forms of energy that are mainly sourced from fossil fuels. While this could be quite a big step to reduce the amount of air pollutants present in the air, I think that only people from the developed countries would have the luxury to afford these. We also cannot expect all gasoline car owners to switch over to electric cars immediately, as there could be logistical limitations involved, such as limited charging locations.
All in all, I believe that everyone has a role to play to reduce air pollution, and car owners should not be the only ones doing so. Every action taken to reduce the impacts of air pollution is valuable, no matter how small or big they may be.
Disappearing into thin air,
Yuin Chi
References:
Tan, C., 2020. ‘Singapore Budget 2020: Boost for electric vehicles in move to reduce pollution’. Retrieved from: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/boost-for-electric-vehicles-in-move-to-reduce-pollution.
Air Pollution 