I’ve often heard that due to the energy and resources needed to manufacture an EV, they are no better for the environment than the current fleet of fossil fuel burning vehicles.

Recently on the radio an expert on EVs (Toby Hagen from EV Central) was being interviewed so I contacted the station and proposed the above argument.

He’s answer was that it is true up to the moment that the “wheels hit the road”. At that point, the environment begins to get payback. The timeframe of payback will depend on various things including how the vehicle is charged, how the vehicle is used and a multiple of other issues that he didn’t go into detail (time constraints).

Toby also emphasised that EVs are a relatively new technology and as we progress down the road (pun intended), the technology will also progress making EVs a positive for the environment.

He also noted the efforts of heavy industry to transition to green energy. So even they can see the future.

Some of you will say that of course a representative of the EV industry would say that, and you would be correct. We should always question the source of the information we are given. I wish people would do more of that.

For me, listening to Toby on the radio and the fact that he agreed with the proposition but looked to the future, gave me a sense of genuineness and and a relative unbiasedness. 

If you’re interested, you can check out the interview on the ABC Afternoons website (Monday 21st October).