Due to the evolving technology and interest, electric vehicles are getting closer and closer to being the primary vehicle on the road. In the global aspect of things, transportation is not leading in the emission of greenhouse gasses; however, it is believed that transportation will be the hardest to decarbonize. While it may take a few more years before we see EVs dominating our skies, seas, and roads, it is estimated that by 2035 some of the largest automobile companies will be fully electric. As a result, many same-day couriers like us have begun the transition to electric vehicles. An EV is short for electric vehicles and is one of the greatest potentials countries have for decarbonizing the transportation sector. While the sale of electric vehicles in developing countries has been weak, in developed countries, EV sales have increased every year since 2016 by over 40%. With this being an inequitable transition for some, this may give pushback to climate efforts.
What is an EV?
Evs will typically be placed under one of three categories; Battery electric vehicles, Plug-in hybrids, and fuel cell vehicles. A battery electric vehicle is propelled by a battery pack that stores an electrical charge. Plug-in hybrids are similar in that they store electricity in a large rechargeable battery, but it also utilizes a combination of the electric motor and gasoline/diesel engine. The last type of electric vehicle you can have is a fuel cell. A fuel cell vehicle uses the electricity produced from the slitting of electrons from hydrogen molecules.
You may find that EVs are more than cars and sedans; they are buses, trucks, tractors, and more. Many major cities’ transit buses are changing to eclectic, as well as their sanitation trucks. Cities are also looking to promote electric vans for neighborhood couriers.
EVs are now entering the ranks with semi-trucks. Tesla’s newest semi, just released, was able to complete a 500-mile delivery on a single charge. In addition, the Tesla semi Delivered its first full load of cargo from Fremont to San Diego without issue.
Where does the power for EVs come from?
Many people wonder how green EVs are when you look back at the chain of energy to find the starting power source. Starting with the charger for your car, the power coming from it comes through a power grid. The electricity from this power grid can come from a variety of different sources. These sources range from clean, renewable energy like solar and wind to fossil fuels like coal. Depending on your state, the type of power source utilized can vary and the size of the carbon footprint electric cars are causing where you live.
On the other hand, across the board, electric vehicles are cheaper and cleaner to ‘refuel’ than the average gas-powered vehicle. This is because of the efficiency of electric vehicles’ ability to convert energy to propel the vehicle. This is true no matter how non-renewable the grid is that the electricity comes from. Overall, any hybrid or electric vehicle running on the grid can tremendously lower a state’s greenhouse gas emissions. As states clean up energy grids, the benefit of owning an electric vehicle only becomes more apparent.
Are EVs worth it?
While the manufacturing of electric vehicles produces more emissions than a gasoline vehicle, on average, it will take the electric vehicle at most 18 months to make up for these emissions. On average, an 84-mile range mid-size electric car will create 15% more emissions by creating large lithium-ion batteries. These batteries require a lot of materials and energy to build.
Once an EV hits the road, the question of emissions and cost efficiency changes. While on the road, the average electric car produces the same greenhouse gas emissions as a gas-powered vehicle getting 88 miles per gallon. Put this into perspective; the average gas-powered vehicle is only capable of 31 miles per gallon (sedan).
How are EVs changing deliveries?
Now that electric vehicles are becoming more prominent and proving their cost efficiencies, many delivery and courier companies are making the switch. In addition, same-day delivery services have started jumping on the EV trend to save themselves money and their consumers. The average cost of refueling a gas-powered engine for 100 miles is $11.38, and $4 to recharge an EV of the same size. Due to this, there are a few couriers that are making the switch to an electric fleet. With the cost efficiencies and savings made, we can pass those savings on to our clients and help in the efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of the United States.
There are many Pros and Cons to an individual of a company switching over to electric vehicles. While EVs are proving to be highly beneficial, they do currently pose some dilemmas. In the beginning, EVs have proven to be more costly at the initial purchase, utilize metals that are hard or unethical to mine, or have below the capabilities of their gas-powered counterparts. In the future, many companies hope to eliminate these issues by lowering initial purchase pricing, creating batteries from more ethically mineable metals, and making engines with better capabilities like the new Tesla Semi.
