September 2026 | Issue 794 | Page(s) 30 - 31 | John Watkinson
The entire justification for electric cars is founded on the concept known as Net Zero, where the electricity used to charge EVs may one day be completely free of carbon dioxide emissions. Accordingly, I think it is important to look at what is necessary to reach Net Zero and why it matters.
The argument for EVs is that they emit no carbon dioxide at the point of use, which is irrefutable. It is amusing that some writers talk about zero tail-pipe emissions when EVs don’t have tail pipes, but it illustrates the degree of understanding that exists on this topic.
Like all manufactured goods, EVs require energy to be made. The energy needed includes that used refining or preparing the raw materials and into forming those materials into the appropriate parts, along with the energy needed to make the forming tools. This is true of all types of vehicle, yet EVs are significantly heavier than IC vehicles and rely on materials and elements that are scarcer and more energy intensive than the steel, alloy and plastic of the IC car. The result is that the embedded carbon footprint due to the manufacture of an EV is significantly higher than that of pure IC or regenerating IC vehicles.
