Photo credit: Kindel Media
by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition
Brian Stewart from Electrify Now, a website that provides information on electrification of homes, businesses and cars, reports that electric vehicle (EV) sales are soaring in the United States. In 2022, EV sales exceeded 7.5% of total passenger vehicle sales. In California, where I live, EV sales were about 25% of all new passenger vehicle sales, with Washington and Oregon at 18% and 17%, respectively.
That’s good news for the environment, in multiple ways. As Stewart points out, the Hyundai Kona EV gets five times more miles than the same vehicle with an internal combustion engine, for the same energy consumption. Electric vehicles have additional environmental advantages — no gaseous pollutants, no particulate matter pollutants and less noise emitted from the vehicle. Electric motors are inherently quieter than internal combustion engines, with most of the vehicle noise coming from the tires rolling over the road surface. That produces tire matter particulate pollution, but that’s about all the point-source pollution the vehicle itself causes.
As charging stations become more common and EV ranges increase, I expect sales to continue to increase. Unlike many, I think gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles will still be needed for those living in both rural and urban areas. In many states, the round-trip distances from rural areas to the nearest big city exceed most EV range estimates. I also don’t know how those living in large apartment complexes or older residential neighborhoods in urban areas will all be able to keep EVs charged.
But any progress towards increased EV use is a good thing. Clean, green, serene air will be part of a better and healthier world for all.
