New Study Says Electric Vehicles Are Not as Environmentally Friendly as We Thought

However, new information has emerged that suggests electric vehicles may not be as environmentally friendly as we originally thought.

Because EVs run on batteries instead of gasoline or diesel, by switching, the world could significantly reduce its use of fossil fuel usage and the consequent carbon emissions almost overnight.

So, in theory, by eliminating these vehicles and transitioning to electric, the US could reduce its emissions by a whopping 31% in no time at all.

However, that information fails to note that, in order to build the batteries of these electric vehicles and the infrastructure needed for them to function, an almost obscene amount of copper needs to be mined. And mining this much copper is certainly going to have a negative effect on the planet.

That’s fairly simple math: Transitioning all vehicles from gasoline-powered to electric would mean the world needs four times the amount of copper it uses now. But that’s just the cars.

One report noted that within this very decade if EV sales and charging station construction continue to grow, “global copper demand will increase between 3 and 5 million tonnes.”

Solar power systems typically contain 5.5 tons of copper, onshore wind turbines use 10 tons of copper, and offshore wind turbines can use as much as 20 tons. Now, many experts are arguing that this kind of copper mining is not only detrimental to the planet, it may literally be impossible.

The study also reported that, in order to make that a reality, at least six new copper mines need to be fully operational within the next decade; however, opening a new mine can take up to 20 years.

And researchers at the University of Michigan conducted a study on the current and projected levels of copper use in the United States echoed that sentiment, reporting, “Copper cannot be mined quickly enough to keep up with current U.S. policy guidelines to transition the country’s electricity and vehicle infrastructure to renewable energy.”

Copper mining is not nearly as environmentally friendly as people think. It actually has a devastating impact on the environment.

Once inside the pit, these machines drill holes into the rock, blast them apart with explosives, and then remove the boulders, taking them to the extraction site where another team works to separate the copper from the rock.

The design of the open-pit holes causes topsoil erosion and extensive degradation that significantly decreases the nutrients in the soil. Both of which can cause immense problems for the local ecosystems.

Deforestation is one of the leading causes of climate change, and to build copper mines, miles upon miles of trees need to be felled.

The waste left behind around the mines can and does contaminate groundwater, aquifers, and irrigation systems.

Copper mines release toxic and radioactive chemicals into the air that can harm people’s eyes, skin, and even lungs, making it extremely difficult to breath. In fact, an excess amount of copper in the air can be fatal for humans.

While technology and science are constantly evolving, there are no new tactics as of 2024 to make copper mining safe.

Recycling copper requires 80%-90% less energy than mining it, and its much safer for humans and the environment. However, in order to use this tactic, humans would have to start recycling copper on a global scale.

However, even if they find ways to decrease the amount of copper needed in an individual vehicle, it will still add up to far more than the existing mines have to offer.

So, with more than 50,000 charging stations and over 5 million vehicles, Tesla is one of the largest miners of copper on the planet.

These cars are powered by both gas and electric batteries, though they need far less gas than a standard car and a much smaller battery than their fully electric counterparts.

As well, hybrids don’t need charging stations as the batteries are charged by the combustion engine, meaning tens of thousands fewer pounds of copper.

Both are incredibly detrimental to the environment and, if they’re not curtailed, will increase the negative side effects of climate change within the next several decades.

However, if the president wants his plan to come to fruition, he will have to address the copper problem very soon.

And if they somehow do figure out how to produce as much as they need, it could be wildly detrimental to the environment as a whole. In other words, the copper problem may have no solution.