Super-sized electric vehicles will not solve the climate crisis

Super-sized electric vehicles will not solve the climate crisis
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 20, 2025

As electric vehicles (EVs) grow in both popularity and physical dimensions, the size of their batteries has increased substantially to enhance range and performance. However, this trend toward larger EVs is undercutting their environmental benefits, offering only limited reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions when compared to smaller EVs or even conventional vehicles.

A recent article in the journal PLOS Sustainability and Transformation, titled "Super-sized electric vehicles will not solve the climate crisis," highlights the sharp rise in the weight of lithium-ion batteries in top-selling EV models. Over the past five years, the average battery weight in the ten most popular EVs has surged by 68%, now averaging 595 kg (1,311 pounds).

The GMC Hummer EV, currently the heaviest EV model available, exemplifies this trend with a staggering battery weight of 1,326 kg (2,923 pounds) - heavier than many conventional cars and vastly exceeding the weight of smaller electric vehicles such as the Fiat 500e.

The article underscores the significant environmental challenges posed by these oversized batteries. Collectively, the top ten EVs sold in the U.S. in 2023 weigh approximately 1.5 times as much as San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge. This massive weight complicates waste processing and hazardous waste management, given the current limitations in recycling technologies.

Additionally, larger EVs require around 75% more critical minerals than smaller models, resulting in 70% higher CO2 emissions during mineral extraction, manufacturing, and assembly processes. The substantial energy demands of these vehicles could also hinder efforts to decarbonize electricity grids, as they consume far more energy.

This trend is undermining the environmental promise of EVs, particularly as there is no viable economic framework to fully recycle lithium-ion batteries for reuse in new vehicles - a stark contrast to the recycling systems in place for paper, aluminum, and glass.

Perry Gottesfeld, the article's author and Executive Director of Occupational Knowledge International, commented, "Not all EVs are making a positive contribution to environmental sustainability and we need to better inform consumers to select vehicles that actually reduce greenhouse gas emissions."

The article calls for stronger public policies, targeted incentives, and clearer consumer messaging to promote the adoption of smaller, more efficient EVs. It advocates for government subsidies and tax incentives to be recalibrated to account for the full lifecycle emissions of vehicles, encouraging choices that deliver genuine environmental benefits.

Research Report:Super-Sized Electric Vehicles (EVs) Will Not Solve the Climate Crisis