The internet is filled with countless articles, blogs, and videos that highlight how ‘green’ EVs are.
But are electric vehicles really ‘green’?
Not exactly!
Read on to learn more.
The mass production of EVs and their battery packs is….a dirty business
One can adopt paperless fleet management by using the best fleet management software.
One can also integrate GPS fleet tracking devices in every delivery vehicle. Additionally, they can use a vehicle tracking system to arrest their company’s overall carbon footprint. One can also instruct their fleet manager to arrange for the replacement of ICE-powered delivery vehicles with e-delivery vehicles.
However, they would still end up paying tons of money to the authorities as a ‘carbon tax’.
Why?
Well, the mass production of electric vehicles and their battery packs is a dirty business.
All the metals and raw materials that go into making EV battery packs such as lithium cobalt oxide (LCO), graphite, lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC), lithium iron phosphate (LFP), lithium manganese oxide (LMO), and lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide (NCA) are individuals mined from separate mines.
All those mining operations and the transportation to respective processing plants and then transporting the lithium cells to EV battery pack manufacturing plants – add all of this and you are looking at huge amounts of carbon emissions.
Regular operation of an EV contributes to greenhouse emissions
Whether your business is using new or used fleet vehicles, it is best to remember that the daily operation of electric fleet vehicles is not exactly ‘emissions-free’ per se!
One can use the best GPS tracker for fleet to optimize delivery routes on the fly to increase the mileage of an electric vehicle. However, even the best fleet tracking device won’t let a fleet manager reduce the carbon footprint of a company.
Why?
Well, an OBD tracker for fleet can help an electric delivery vehicle cover more miles per charge. In this way, the carbon footprint of the vehicle is reduced. However, when the same vehicle is being charged using the electricity from the city’s power supply, it again contributes to its carbon footprint.
How is that?
Well, the world (including the US) still produces the majority of its electricity from fossil fuels like coal. And we all know that coal is way worse than gasoline, in terms of carbon emitted per gram of fuel burnt!
Decommissioning an EV is a dirty business as well!
Sure, replacing ICE-powered delivery vehicles in your company’s in-house fleet with electric delivery vehicles is one of the smart ways of fleet management.
Additionally, one can also use the leading real time fleet tracking solution in a bid to increase the overall efficiency of their electric fleet of delivery vehicles.
However, even the best fleet management solution cannot help one shy away from the following fact.
When the time comes to decommission an EV, one would have to be ready to pay the extra cost of recycling an EV. Recycling an EV emits more carbon dioxide compared to the decommissioning process of an internal combustion vehicle.
The primary reason is simple.
People are yet to come up with the infrastructure needed to completely contain the carbon emitted during the decommissioning of an electric vehicle.
Experts suggest that for the time being, businesses can use the GPS fleet management system to make their in-house fleet of ICE-powered delivery vehicles efficient.
Additionally, one can take the step of making their in-house delivery vehicle fleet hybrid consisting of both electric as well as ICE-powered delivery vehicles.
Compared to ICE vehicles, EVs are still the better choice
Compared to Internal Combustion Engine-powered cars, EVs are still the better choice.
Here’s the enunciation.
Compared to ICE-powered delivery vehicles, electric delivery vehicles benefit the logistics and supply sectors.
How?
Well, operating and maintaining electric delivery vehicles are way cheaper than ICE-powered delivery vehicles. Additionally, the money saved from maintaining an electric fleet of delivery vehicles can be used by a business to offer additional benefits to its employees.
On top of that, a business can use the leftover monetary resources to enhance its internal infrastructure in a bid to remain relevant and competitive.
Additionally, during regular use, the overall carbon footprint of an electric vehicle is considerably smaller than an ICE-powered vehicle.
In short, compared to ICE vehicles, EVs are still the better choice, at least for businesses!