Environmental Health Implications Of Electric Vehicles In China

By Dave Brown — Exclusive to Lithium Investing News

Universities in the United States and China have released collaborative research evaluating the effects of emissions and environmental health impacts from the use of electric vehicles and conventional vehicles across 34 major urban centers in China. The participating universities include the University of Minnesota and the University of Tennessee in the US, and Tsinghua University in  China. 

By including electric vehicles, electric bikes, gasoline cars, diesel cars, and diesel buses, the research takes into account the impact of  the user's exposure  to emissions in order to evaluate overall environmental and health implications.

High adoption rates

Published in the ACS journal Environmental Science & Technology, the study was partially inspired by the considerable growth and demand for electric bicycles in China. The considerable adoption rate of electric bikes in China is the single largest case study of alternative fuel use for transportation in history, with more than 100 million vehicles purchased within the last ten years. The market in China for electric bikes over the past decade represents a greater demand than all other countries combined.

Results

For most of the urban areas focused on by the study, research indicates that the environmental health impacts of electric cars are greater than they are for conventional gasoline vehicles. However, electric vehicles typically scored better than diesel cars and equal to diesel buses. Electric bikes yielded lower environmental health impacts when compared to diesel cars and buses, but only slightly better than conventional gasoline cars.

Importance and relevance in guiding policy decisions

The case study of China provides a large sample size and a similar operational context to the US, because dynamic converging governmental policies aim to increase electric vehicle adoption. Unique aspects of China include its large population and coal dependent electricity system; however, the United States may consider applying aspects of this research towards its own outlook for transportation initiatives.

United States funding additional research to further lithium battery technology

The United States Department of Energy is expecting to launch an advanced research program on lithium battery technology and energy storage, with an investment of up to $120 million over five years. The Energy Innovation Hub will be funded up to $20 million this year, with an objective to develop research of electrochemical energy storage for transportation and the electric grid.  The funding initiative fosters leading edge renewable and clean energy technology and  storage to optimize efficiency and security of the electrical grid and transportation networks, with the goal being to reduce the nation's dependency on foreign oil.

Ambitious aims

Department of Energy Secretary Dr. Steven Chu explained, “As part of the Obama Administration's investments in science and innovation, this Energy Innovation Hub will bring together scientists, engineers, and industry to develop fresh concepts and new approaches that will ensure America is at the leading edge of the growing global market for battery technology. With the advances from this research and development effort, we will be able to design and produce batteries here in America that last longer, go farther, and cost less than today's technologies.”