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- A study confirms the positive aspect of electric cars on health
- A significant drop in asthma-related emergencies has been observed
- Further research is still needed
Can we establish a direct link between the increasing adoption of electric cars and the reduction of health problems? This is what researchers from the University of California wanted to verify in a recent study. The answer is clearly yes, especially when it comes to asthma-related emergencies.
In concrete terms, the scientists compared local electric car registration data, air pollution, and asthma-related emergency room visits in California between 2013 and 2019. The finding could not be clearer: For each an additional 20 electric vehicles per 1,000 people, there was a 3.2% drop in the rate of asthma-related emergency visits and a suggestively small reduction in levels of nitrogen dioxide in the air.
Help the poorest to equip themselves with electric cars
Another finding of this study is that the poorest communities are also the least equipped with electric cars, and those where air pollution is the highest. There is therefore a huge potential impact in helping residents to drive electric.
Erika Garcia, who participated in this work, confirms this: “If research continues to confirm our findings, we want to ensure that communities that are burdened by traffic-related air pollution actually benefit from this climate mitigation effort”.
If these results have what to make rather optimistic, the researchers specify that other studies will have to take into account the impact of electric cars, in particular that related to the emissions related to the wear of the brakes and tires, but also the extraction materials needed for their production.
What about the overall impact?
In 2021, the International Council on Clean Transportation conducted interesting research by immersing itself in the American, European, Chinese and Indian markets, their finding could not be clearer: over their entire life cycle, electric cars emit less CO2 than thermals. Thus, emissions are lower by 66 to 69% in Europe, by 60% to 68% in the United States, by 37 to 45% in China, and by 19 to 34% in India.
Little by little, French consumers are being persuaded to go electric. Thus, in November 2022, more than one in five French people (21.4%) fell for an electric car or an electric hybrid. In 2022, therefore, 304,404 100% electric and PHEV vehicles were sold.
