We believe that electric vehicles are not harmful to nature. But they also cause pollution. It's just that it doesn't come out in the form of smoke as we see it. In some places, electric vehicles generate more pollution than vehicles running on petroleum. Pollution from batteries used in electric vehicles is beyond our imagination.
One of the generally accepted ways of the world to curb climate change and reduce global warming is to promote electric vehicles instead of using fossil fuels. The range of electric vehicles is growing day by day, including in India. We are moving towards a situation where people are moving away from electric vehicles and giving them priority.
The International Energy Agency, an international energy agency, estimates that by 2030, there will be 14.5 million battery - powered electric vehicles on the road. Although the initial cost is high, electric vehicles are a cheaper option compared to current fuel prices. The following are the answers to those who ask, "Is it not an electric vehicle, it has no smoke, and then pollution?"
Villain battery
The most important component of electric vehicles is their battery. The battery itself plays an important role in the price and performance of a vehicle. Many of the chemicals used to store energy in batteries are dangerous. New discoveries in batteries, the fact that they charge faster and last longer, all show that they are made of stronger chemicals. Many of today's batteries have grown out of the batteries of yesteryear. The most commonly used batteries in vehicles are lead acid, lithium ion, nickel metal hydride and ultrasonic capacitors.
Lithium ion batteries are known for their light weight and portability. They have the advantage of being able to store relatively large amounts of energy at low weight. Lithium ion batteries are widely used in devices including mobile phones. Although the phone has a small battery, they can also cause pollution if thrown away.
Nickel metal hydride batteries are commonly used in semi-hybrid and hydride-electric vehicles. They are more widely used in hybrid vehicles due to their longer life cycle and safety compared to lead acid and lithium ion batteries.
In the early days, lead acid batteries were used in all types of vehicles. Their low life cycle and inability to store charge pushed them out of the vehicle with the advent of other batteries.
Ultrasonic capacitors do not work like other batteries. Although they are used to store charge, they do not belong to the battery category. They generate electricity by moving charged liquids between the electrode and the electrolyte. Electric vehicles have an average battery pack of 250 kg. The shelf life of these is only 8 years. That is, after 8 years, 250 kilograms of chemicals become waste. If there are one crore cars, 25 lakh tonnes of waste will be generated. While many of the batteries can be significantly reused, the fact that most companies and automakers do not bother with it can also lead to more waste. The chemicals in the batteries can cause more and more serious pollution than the petrol car.
Only lithium-ion batteries can store energy without loss. That too for only 4 hours. That is, if you want to store energy for a longer period of time, you need to store more energy in a larger capacity battery system. This will require you to store more energy than you actually need. Naturally, the use of chemicals increases when a high capacity battery is manufactured.
The chemicals will mix with the soil and water as they come out of the box of the abandoned battery. Soil and water are the most polluted due to these batteries. The rapid release of chemicals into water and other organisms can also have serious consequences. It has been found that even lithium ion batteries, which have been described as less polluting in the group, can cause more water pollution. When lithium enters the water, it can infect aquatic organisms and other organisms. Other important materials found in batteries are nickel, cobalt and manganese. These also cause significant pollution.
The only way to reduce pollution is to recycle used batteries. If the elements in the batteries can be separated and reused, natural pollution will be eliminated. Otherwise, the e-waste generated by electric vehicles will be as dangerous as the carbon emissions generated by petrol combustion. Separating metals from a battery is as expensive as extracting metal from an ore. That is why many companies are extracting metal from freshly mined ore instead of extracting it from used batteries.
Change is coming
Companies like Nissan, Volkswagen and Renault have already started battery recycling plants. At present, Volkswagen has the capacity to recycle 3600 batteries per year. Mercedes-Benz has adopted a policy of having enough electric vehicles after 2030. They are also doing significant research on the potential for battery recharge. Tesla's Nevada Gigafactory, the world's largest electric car maker, has announced that it is ready to manufacture battery packs for 45,000 electric cars a year. They are recycling the batteries of Nissan and Panasonic. If more such companies come forward with recycling plants, the pollution in the use of batteries can be reduced. In effect, they can be converted into pollution-free vehicles, as electric vehicles say.
Non-electric pollution can be reduced
The new move is to make significant changes to the engine and convert the exhaust carbon into other forms. Vehicles in the Gulf region were able to reduce such pollution by 25%. In India too, pollution has been reduced through changes made as part of Bharat Stage 6 pollution control measures. Larger vehicles use solvents along with fuel to reduce carbon emissions. The battery is used in these vehicles as well, but because it is a relatively small battery, pollution is low.
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