To celebrate Clean Air Day 2023, we’ve been discussing all things sustainability across the GeniePoint social media channels. 83% of our followers told us that being more sustainable was a key part of their decision to make the EV switch!
But what makes EVs sustainable? Let’s dive into this together…
Electric vehicles and sustainability
Statistics show that the transport sector is a significant contributor to air pollution figures in the UK. In fact, one-fifth of Europe’s greenhouse gases come from the transportation sector (1). As EVs produce zero tailpipe emissions, switching to an electric vehicle can make a big difference in reducing transport emissions.
Every individual has a role to play when it comes to reducing CO2. In just 365 days, one person making the EV switch can save an average of 1.5 tonnes (2) of CO2! To put that into context, that means by switching to an EV you could save as much CO2 in a year as almost five return flights from London to Paris – just imagine the impact if your entire family, or neighbourhood, also made the switch.
The life-cycle of an EV battery
There is always the question around the true sustainability of electric vehicles, this usually comes up when considering the life-cycle of an EV battery. Rest assured, EV battery components can be recycled, upcycled, reused or repurposed (3) and there are a variety of schemes in place for this, often implemented by the battery creators themselves.
The process goes a little something like this:
Battery first life > Repurposing > Second life > Recycling > Materials extracted > Manufacturing > and repeat
Living more sustainably
Research from our GeniePoint EV drivers showed that driving an electric vehicle is the most popular method for individuals to be more sustainable. They also noted that they’ve introduced using low energy bulbs and installing solar panels, in order to increase their day-to-day sustainability.
Making changes in your everyday life, in addition to switching to an EV, can ensure you live more sustainably – helping to protect the planet.
Interested to find out more? Take a look at our downloadable PDF that looks at the sustainability of switching to an electric vehicle:
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