A recent column by Leo Hickman in The Guardian set off a
wave of debate over the true merit of electric vehicles (EVs) compared to
internal combustion engine vehicles (EVs). Hickman used a study from the
Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) called ComparativeEnvironmental Life Cycle Assessment of Conventional and Electric Vehicles that
explored a variety of factors involved in the lifecycle of the car – from
materials used to vehicle emissions to the source of energy moving the metal –
as a starting point. The problem, as we'll see, is that the study uses some
dubious assumptions to badmouth EVs.
The study sends something of a warning signal in its finding
that the production and lifecycle of EVs makes them not as great as proponents
have been stating. Specifically, the technology is more energy-demanding during
production and can actually bring more CO2 emissions than conventional
vehicles.