Its interesting to read the debates about the carbon footprint of a Prius being worse than a normal gasoline car. There is no doubt that the current supply chain for lithium batteries, costs lots of fuel, taking the components back and forth across continents until they are assembled into a vehicle, that is then delivered to a consumer.
The battles over the definition of carbon footprints will not abate today. Where do you start and where do you end the measurement? With all newborn industries (and I say this despite electric vehicles having been around since the early 1900s),it will take time until volume production processes take hold, and reductions in delivery supply chains are implemented. Nevertheless, I believe that the electric vehicle is now here to stay and will simply grow in volume and reduce in price for two major reasons…the Middle East powderkeg and job creation.
The automotive industry has been looking to repurpose itself. Now it has the reason…electric vehicles. This focus gives all car makers a new shot in the arm to wake up in the morning and figure out how to create longer ranges with smaller batteries. The tie-in to renewable energy recharging systems helps complete an independent power cycle. First the home, then the car…what next?
Well, perhaps we need to think more about what to do with those used batteries after 5-7 years of constant recharging, with only 70-80% of their abilities left over? My guess is that some batteries will be repurposed into off-grid applications or grid-tie load balancing some with solar power or other renewables attached, while others just stay in the car, and just as you don’t expect as many miles per gallon from an old gasoline engine, the buyers of used electric vehicles won’t likely expect as many miles per hour of recharge from an electric vehicle.
In talking with many automotive OEM executives, it has become my conclusion that they are really not worried about it. It is one of those issues that they’ll deal with when they have to. Since 2011 is really the first year of the true EV industry launch, they figure they have until 2015 before the issue rises to the surface. Then they will see what the landscape looks like, how far down the costs of batteries have dropped, and then make their decision on how to approach the challenge.
Sass