Nowadays, there is a rapid development of technologies in many spectra of human life. Modern developments’ main task is making a man’s life convenient and safe. However, it is also essential to remember the impact of human life on nature and the environment. Thus, the development of electronic vehicles provides additional comfort for movement and positively affects the environment. With the evolution of industry and traffic systems, one should understand that human influence on nature has become destructive. It is primarily due to the consequences of the development of transportation, especially cars, which has become a cause for concern and elaboration of alternatives. In particular, electric vehicles are gaining popularity as a replacement for internal combustion engines. Electric cars are better for the future due to the absence of negative impact on the environment since not have harmful substances emission.
Carbon dioxide emissions, the main reason for which is the widespread use of vehicles with internal combustion engines, have a negative impact on the environment. It is formulated not only by air pollution but also by the destructive effect on the atmosphere. In turn, it has an effect on the climate, namely on the increase in average temperature, since the layers of the atmosphere have a protective function. Thus, the technologies of electric vehicles are essential to the automotive industry and the user due to better fuel economy and positive environmental impact (Mi and Masrur 11). In other words, electric cars will save humanity from the threats of warming-related cataclysms and help in the economic aspect. Electric cars reduce fuel consumption, which will positively impact the exhaustive energy sources issue.
The main argument for the necessity to replace cars with internal combustion engines with electric ones is the degree of influence of vehicles on the environment. Moreover, one should consider the number of engines and other types of vehicles: buses, trucks, and tractors. Passenger cars rank first in terms of the number of units used, respectively, having the most significant impact. In addition, passenger cars are ahead of other types of transport in terms of quantity, namely, airplanes, ships, and rail transport. Although passenger cars are used in most cases for trips up to 200 kilometers, they still have a significant degree of negative impact. It is stated by the fact that the number of simultaneously used units is large, which leads to the accumulation of emissions.
All modes of transport, except for road transport, have lower carbon dioxide emissions, and the smallest share goes to rail transport. As can be seen in Figure 1, road transportation has 72% of overall emissions, and 60,7% goes to automobiles (See Fig. 1 above) (MLA 8th, 3). One may also notice that water and air transport have a fairly high share of emissions, although less compared to road transport. Thus, one may identify that replacing internal combustion engines with electric ones will significantly improve the situation.
In regards to car-related issues, one should consider the long-term implications and results. It includes two aspects: the impact on the environment and the use of natural resources. In recent years there has been a significant increase in oil extraction (Vilches and Jonatan 164). This is primarily due to the increased demand for gasoline extracted from oil. In turn, it is connected with the growth in the number of cars, especially personal ones. In other words, one may notice that the existing indicators showing the degree of negative impact on the environment may increase. Thus, the prospect of switching to electric engines, at least in passenger cars, is an effective way to solve the problem in the long term. At the same time, it will affect the two above-mentioned aspects, namely the impact on nature and the problem of using resources.
Electric cars have another advantage in terms of consumables, energy savings, and machine functionality. It was possible to identify that the technologies of the interaction of mechanisms in electric cars, which reduce the degree of friction, could reduce energy losses by 18-40% (Holmberg and Erdemir 2). It is connected with the principle of operation of electric cars, namely the reduction of the pistons and levers quality, which wear out quickly in usual cars. In turn, applying electricity will reduce emissions and resource utilization for the construction of these parts.
It was also possible to establish the advantage of electric cars in terms of carbon dioxide emissions compared to conventional cars. In combustion engine cars, the CO2 emission is 4.5 higher compared to electric cars (Holmberg and Erdemir 3). One may notice that the degree of difference is significant, considering the number and degree of modern vehicles usage. Moreover, the electricity used to charge electric cars may come only from inexhaustible sources of energy in the future. Green energy, or energy produced with the help of natural forces, cancels the impact on the number of existing resources. It includes energy from wind, water, ebb and flow, sunlight, as well as geothermal energy, which is obtained using geothermal sources.
Moreover, nowadays one has some outlines of switching to electricity not only in cars. Electric vehicle technology is applicable for locomotives, off-road vehicles (construction and mining vehicles), ships, and to some extent to, aircraft (Mi and Masrur 13). Certainly, it is necessary to apply technologies that are not yet available to people for such developments. However, it will be possible in the future, which in turn would entail a revolution in the context of energy use. Additionally, one will significantly improve the condition of the environment due to the fact that the number of emissions will approach zero. It would solve the climate issues and improve the air condition, which would positively affect the health of the population and flora and fauna. In other words, the use of electric transport has local and general long-term advantages.
The application of electric engines will reduce the need to process materials and transport them to extract fuel and gasoline. Similar to burning gasoline in car engines, the refining oil process emits carbon dioxide. Moreover, a significant amount of pollution of the world’s oceans was provoked by waste from oil refining and accidents during the transportation of oil or fuel. Oil spots resulting from spills due to accidents have a devastating effect on the flora and fauna of the ocean. Additionally, it negatively affects the microflora of the sea, which can lead to long-term negative consequences. Besides, harmful substances settled on the surface of the water due to fuel burnout during water transportation also negatively affect both the condition of the water and flora and fauna. Thus, the transition to electric cars has a positive impact not only on the air, usage of resources, and energy but also on the world’s oceans.
Reducing car emissions around the world will have a significant positive impact on air quality, acid rains, smog, and climate change. The health effects of vehicle emissions are also of concern. Car noise is harmful to people since it affects not only hearing but also the development of hypertension. Carbon and nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons, compounds containing sulfur formulate the dangerous mix that one consumes every day on the streets of one’s city. Road transport’s other environmental impacts include traffic congestion and urban sprawl that can occupy natural habitats and agricultural land. The exhaust gases of cars contain a large amount of lead, which, together with salts of other metals, enters the soil, surface, and ground waters and is absorbed by plants. During the operation of a car with internal combustion engines, the sources of emissions of harmful substances are exhaust gases and uncontrolled spillage of operating materials onto the ground.
To conclude, electric cars are better for the future for a number of reasons, both local and general long-term causes. Modern researches, as well as the work of scientists, formulate arguments for the positive impact of electric cars on the environment and on the future life. Moreover, it is possible to switch to electric engines not only in cars, which provoke the most of emissions among transportation types. There are plans to use electricity instead of fuel in trains, ships, and airplanes. It was found that the difference between the impact on the environment and air of electric cars and ones with combustion engines is significant. Moreover, it will have positive consequences in terms of the use of energy and natural resources.
Works Cited
European Environment Agency. 2019, Web.
Holmberg, Kenneth, and Erdemir Ali. “The Impact of Tribology on Energy Use and CO2 Emission Globally and in Combustion Engine and Electric Cars.” Tribology International, vol. 135, 2019. ScienceDirect, Web.
Mi, Chris, and Masrur Abul. Hybrid Electric Vehicles: Principles and Applications with Practical Perspectives. 2nd ed., John Wiley & Sons, 2017.
Vilches, Gomez, and Jonatan J. The Impact of Electric Cars on Oil Demand and Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Key Markets. KIT Scientific Publishing, 2019.