Great Oak Gazette

By Sofia Horak

Have you ever wondered if electric cars are truly a solution for reducing carbon dioxide emissions? Do they really cut toxic pollution, or does one cargo ship emit as much as 50 million cars?

Some argue that electric cars are better for the environment because gas-powered vehicles release carbon dioxide and waste fuel while waiting in traffic. However, this isn’t the whole story. While electric cars are seen as a way to improve Earth’s air quality, they may not be as effective as claimed. For example, cargo ships, which transport goods globally, burn significantly more fuel than the average vehicle. According to Green Car Reports, “One giant container ship pollutes the air as much as 50 millions cars” meaning that switching from gas-powered to electric cars will only make a small difference. To combat global carbon emissions, governments will need to address a broader range of carbon-emitting sources.

Additionally, counties like China and India contribute significantly to global carbon dioxide emissions, with China emitting about 11.4 billion metric tons and India around 2.7 billion tons, according to a 2022 Worldometer report. Even if numerous other countries switched to electric cars, the overall impact on the planet’s air quality would be minimal. This is due to the intense amount of coal burning and industrialization that happens all around the world. An NPR podcast also highlighted that while electric vehicles are marketed as “zero-emission,” the production of their batteries requires significant amounts of non-clean energy, which harms in the environment in many other ways. These facts have become widely recognized after extensive media coverage.

Overall, while electric cars are often considered a stepping stone towards a cleaner future, their impact on reducing environmental damage is relatively small. Factors such as pollution from cargo ships, large carbon dioxide emissions from counties like China and India, and the non-clean manufacturing processes for electric vehicles mean that electric cars alone aren’t enough to significantly combat climate change.