Impactfully No. 5: Get your (electric) motor runnin'

This week is all about electric vehicles taking to the road to combat emissions. There are new tax credits coming to incentivize the purchase of more electric vehicles, the U.S. Postal Service is investing in a new electric fleet, and more and more automakers are committing to net-zero production in the coming decades.

This sounds like good news, and generally speaking, it is! But every change of this scale comes with pros and cons, and we're all about highlighting the complexity of facing the most pressing challenges of our time.

Case in point: producing an electric vehicle actually produces more emissions than a comparable internal combustion engine vehicle. The impact improves over the lifetime of the vehicle, though much of that depends on how the electricity was produced – something we discussed when we wrote about sustainable housing.

There's also a major push to secure sources of rare-earth metals because of their usage in renewable energy projects and electric vehicles. Check out the graphic below from Visual Capitalist, and it becomes clear to see the geopolitical ramifications of the transition to these technologies. Rare-earth metals are poised to bring wealth and influence to those who own the associated territories, and countries and corporate entities alike are racing to secure their slice of the pie.

Still, these are nascent problems to be solved, and the broader challenge of climate change likely outweighs the short-term costs. Want to help usher in the future of electric transportation? Check out the featured job opportunities in this issue.

- Greg (@gregrancourt)

In this issue:

How green are electric vehicles, really?
The race for rare-earth metals
100 years of electric vehicles
Find a meaningful career

This week's reads

Are Electric Cars Sustainable?

When it comes to sustainability in the automotive industry, low or zero-emission cars such as electric vehicles do make a difference in regards to reducing greenhouse-gas emissions. When looking at the full life cycle of an EV, they are a greener option than a petrol-powered car, but harmful emissions are still generated in a variety of ways.

Nissan launches sustainable finance project to fund electric vehicle production and eco-technologies

Nissan has launched a new "sustainable finance framework" it says will help it fund next-generation electrified vehicles, batteries, environmental technologies, and new mobility services.

Rare Earth Elements: Where in the World Are They?

Rare earth elements are the critical ingredients for a greener economy, making their reserves increasingly valuable to global supply chains.

This 17-Year-Old Designed a Motor That Could Potentially Transform the Electric Car Industry

Robert Sansone's research could pave the way for the sustainable manufacturing of electric vehicles that do not require rare-earth magnets.

An innovation before its time

Did you know electric vehicles have been around for over 100 years? Check out this video from Consumer Reports talking about the basics of electric vehicles alongside one of the first electric vehicles to hit the road!

Electric Cars 101 | Consumer Reports

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