By Colin Simpson
Conventional wisdom dictates that electric vehicles (EVs) are the cleanest alternative to cars burning fossil-fuels. The federal government’s target of 100% zero-emission vehicle sales by 2035 is based on the widespread adoption of EVs, and consumers are buying plug-in cars in record numbers. Last December, when Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault announced regulated targets for EV sales in the Electric Vehicle Availability Standard he declared, “There’s no mistaking it. We are at a tipping point.”
If these trends continue, we’ll be well on our way to driving ourselves to a decarbonized future in Canada.
There’s only one problem: the use of electric vehicles is not completely emission-free. At least not yet. That’s because EVs are only as clean as their energy supply and the electricity used to charge these vehicles is largely from fossil fuels, which generate greenhouse gases. It’s the EV industry’s Achilles heel.
Read the full article by Colin Simpson on the EnvironmentJournal website.
