Getting your driver’s license and first car is a right of passage. Whether you have a car or not, you probably like to think about the vehicles you do want. However, do you ever think about the impact your vehicle has on the environment? Motor vehicles are responsible for one-fifth of carbon emissions. Luckily, car manufacturers are taking steps to help reduce their carbon footprint. 

General Motors recently announced they plan to be completely electric by 2035. They plan to eliminate all gas and diesel engines in their vehicles. Chairman and CEO of GM, Mary Barra, says “Climate change is real, and we want to be part of the solution by putting everyone in an electric vehicle.” Furthermore, GM plans to power their factories using renewable energy.  

GM isn’t the only company making impactful changes, most major automakers have ambitious plans for their lineups. Volkswagen recently announced they plan to produce 1 million electric cars by 2023. For the next five years, Swedish company Volvo intends to realize a new EV every year. Nissan plans to introduce eight electric cars to their lineup by 2022. New EV manufacturers are also appearing on the market such as Rivan, Byton, and Lordstown. 

How effective will these changes really be? Electric cars are not economically conventional for most people. They also pose the issue of limited charging locations and have a shorter lifetime. Or so we think. As manufacturing regulations for combustion engine cars get stricter, it will be beneficial for companies to produce electric cars. During recent years, the price of batteries has dropped making EVs cheaper. With increased production and demand, EVs will cost as much as a gas-powered car. Their lifespans will be longer and more charging will be available. 

Students here at iUP believe that electric cars will have a positive impact on our environment. Brooke Bolinger says, “I think they will definitely help our environment because they will put less pollution and carbon into our atmosphere. It will hopefully put an end to all the problems around the world such as shrinking ice caps and rising ocean levels.” Electric cars don’t just have immediate benefits, they have long term as well. 

It’s encouraging to see so many automakers taking climate change seriously and contributing to solutions. If society and companies work together, climate change won’t have to be a threat. Hopefully, the next time you get a car you won’t have to think about its impact on the environment because it won’t have one. 

References

Automakers are going green to save money, not just the planet. (n.d.). Retrieved February 07, 2021, from https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cnn.com/cnn/2021/02/04/business/automakers-ev-cost-savings/index.html

Eisenstein, P. (2021, January 29). GM to go All-electric by 2035, phase out gas and diesel engines. Retrieved February 07, 2021, from https://www.nbcnews.com/business/autos/gm-go-all-electric-2035-phase-out-gas-diesel-engines-n1256055

Future evs: Every electric vehicle coming soon. (n.d.). Retrieved February 07, 2021, from https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.caranddriver.com/news/gmp29994375/future-electric-cars-trucks/