Buying BEV

This week I finally took the plunge and replaced my elderly Honda with a used BEV - a Battery Electric Vehicle. I have taken many years to get to this stage.

For a long time, I was persuaded by a familiar environmental argument: that it is often more sustainable to hold on to my elderly car, following the usual environmental advice of 'repairing and keeping'. Extending the life of an existing vehicle spreads its 'embodied carbon' from its manufacture over more miles thereby reducing its per mile carbon footprint. I told myself that holding on to my older vehicle made environmental sense. I also had 'range anxiety' and was concerned that if I had an EV, long journeys would be difficult and involve multiple lengthy charging stops.

Researching the pros and cons had raised legitimate concerns about the ecological footprint of new electric vehicles. Manufacturing a medium-sized car, whether petrol or electric, produces roughly 6 to 10 tonnes of CO2. For EVs though, the battery adds additional emissions, an extra 2-5 tonnes.

I was aware that the mining materials, such as copper, lithium and nickel is highly intensive, but I had fully appreciated the serious environmental and social consequences for people in the Global South driven by the rising demand for EVs from the communities in the North and China. The transition to EVs reducing emissions in the Global North is leading to 'climate colonialism'. Nickel extraction in Indonesia is leading to deforestation, cobalt mining in the Democratic Republic of China is linked to unsfae working conditions and, in some cases, child labour. Many indigenous communities have also faced displacemnt linked to mining expansion.

These are serious issues. EVs are becoming a key component in a greener future, but the immoral exploitation of the communities in the Global South is yet to be resolved. The tranistion to cleaner technologies globally has to be just and equitable.

So there were plenty of reasons to stick with my old car.

But over time. the balance shifted. The emissions from my old car were increasing and causing more pollution. By contrast, a BEV produces zero tailpipe emissions - no CO2, nitrogen oxides or carbon monoxide from combustion - bringing immediate benefits for local air quality.

Also, when you look at the full life-cycle, the evidence now shows that EVs produce significantly fewer greenhouse gases than petrol cars. In the UK the electricity grid is increasingly decarbonised, an EV will 'pay back' its manufacturing footprint within a few years, after which it remains the lower-carbon option. Buying a used EV is extending its life and is a greener option than buying a new one.

Concerns about a growing electric vehicle 'battery mountain' from older electric vehicles are proving overstated, as batteries are lasting longer than expected and new technologies are enabling the recycling of up to 98% of their components - reducing the need for continual extraction of raw materials.

It is also important to consider how the electricity is generated that is used to recharge the battery. We are fortunate to have installed solar panels a few years ago, generating some of our own energy. We also use an energy supplier that prioritises renewables, which further reduces the carbon intensity of charging. I told myself that this strengthened the environmental case for switching.

I also began to recognise that the concerns about range were becoming outdated. When I first contemplated a BEV, I looked at one that had a range of 80 miles - barely enough to get us to Exeter and back! Newer models have a 'real-world' range of 200-300 miles, which will easily meet my daily need of lots of short, local journeys.. Public charging points have doubled over the last three years with a focus on rapid chargers, making longer journeys more practical and giving a valid excuse for regular stops for coffee and cake!

There are practical benefits too, EVs are cheaper to run per mile and require a lot less maintenance, whereas my elderly Honda was becoming increasingly more expensive to keep on the road. Choosing another petrol car would have locked me into fossil fuel dependence for many years to come.

There was a genuine dilemma, one many people are facing. What ultimately tipped the balance wasn't just environmental reasoning, but geopolitics.

Rising global instability and concerns about fuel supply disruptions - particularly around key routes like the Straits of Hormuz - highlighted how vulnerable petrol dependence can be. With prices rising and potential shortages, relying on fossil fuel is increasingly risky, especially in an area with limited public transport alternatives.

Why now?

If I am honest, the push to buy a BEV was emotional rather than rational! A moment of anger triggered by frustration with global politics - and figures such as Donald Trump - turned a long-standing concern into action. Following the news cycle, with its mix of conflict, energy insecurity and pressures on the cost of living, shifted me from hesitation to decision.

And perhaps that’s not such a bad thing.

Because while the decision may have been catalysed by anger, it ultimately aligned with the direction I knew I needed to take: towards lower emissions, greater resilience, and playing a small part in improving the environment for my local community.

Pros and cons of owning an electric car here.

Read about battery recycling here.

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