I’m conducting some basic calculations here, but I’m also not inclined to blindly accept expert opinions. I prefer to comprehend things myself. Please understand, I’m seeking more information, and I’d appreciate it if someone could point out any errors in my reasoning.
To me, the most obvious comparison lies in the waste generated by the production of electric vehicles (EVs) versus that of gas-powered vehicles, solely from the standpoint of crude oil production, over a 12-year period. I acknowledge that I’m overlooking carbon emissions from running gas vehicles or emissions from the battery production process for EVs, which I know are significant factors. However, these are notoriously difficult to measure accurately, and studies often produce conflicting results. Physical waste, on the other hand, is more quantifiable.
Undoubtedly, EVs are much better for the environment, but only after their production. The crux of the matter is, which vehicle truly has a smaller environmental footprint over a 12-year lifespan, including production? Although this question is highly intricate, I still find this comparison valuable for gaining a long-term perspective.
A case study from 2016, which I’ve linked, indicates that for every ton of rare earth elements (REE) mined, approximately 75 tons of acidic waste are generated. This estimation excludes the toxic gases emitted during the battery production process, which is another critical aspect worth examining. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find evidence suggesting that EV battery production has become more efficient since this study, despite promises of improvement as production scales up.
[Link to MIT case study: Environmental Cost of Refineries]
Now, let’s turn to crude oil. According to an EPA case study from 2000, around 260,000 metric tons of waste were produced globally that year, including produced water and sludge. In 2000, 12.5 billion gallons of crude oil were extracted worldwide. Given that there are approximately 308 gallons of crude oil per ton, this translates to about 40.5 million tons of crude oil. Consequently, it can be inferred that approximately 0.0064 metric tons of waste were generated per metric ton of crude oil that year.
[Links to EPA and EIA sources: TENORM: Oil and Gas Production Wastes | US EPA, International - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)]
On average, a gas-powered vehicle in the US consumes about 2.5 gallons of crude oil per day. That’s approximately 912.5 gallons per year and 10,950 gallons over a 12-year lifespan, which is the average lifespan of a US vehicle. Considering there are roughly 0.00325 tons in 1 gallon of crude oil, this equates to approximately 35.58 tons of crude oil consumed per vehicle over its entire lifespan.
[Source for gas vehicle consumption: How Much Crude Oil Do You Consume On A Daily Basis? | OilPrice.com]
The production of a single electric vehicle requires about 1.5 kilograms of REE, which is equivalent to 0.0015 metric tons. Consequently, for every electric car produced, approximately 0.1125 tons of acidic waste are generated (0.0015 * 75).
[Source for EV REE requirement: Electric vehicles and rare earths - Edison Group]
Over a 12-year period, for every gas-powered vehicle, approximately 0.22 tons of waste are produced in the form of produced water and sludge (35.68 * 0.0065).
In conclusion, would you rather deal with 440 pounds of “sludgy” water and dirty equipment or 220 pounds of acid?
It’s worth noting that if your EV requires a battery replacement during the 12-year period, we can expect to roughly double those waste figures for EVs.