DROPPING IN – MY EXPERIENCE SWITCHING TO AN ELECTRIC CAR
written by Tobin Seagel, POW Canada Athlete and Science Alliance member
I recently bought an electric truck to replace my dying old gas guzzler. I always had a mixed relationship with my old gas truck; I liked what it let me do (get deeper into the backcountry, haul wood, transport bikes), but hated watching the gas needle drop quickly on even the smallest trip to the grocery store and felt pangs of guilt every time I started it up and watched small puffy white clouds form at the tailpipe.
That being said, owning it felt like a necessary evil in order to support my lifestyle. Is my lifestyle no-carbon? Not at all, I don’t want to come across as sanctimonious. I’m aiming for progress over perfection, and when I looked at my carbon tally it seemed like transport was top of the list for things I could do something about. Harnessing grid power in BC, which is more than 95% renewable, seemed like a good way to start.[1] [2]
There are a lot of opinions about whether or not electric vehicles (EVs) are actually better for the environment than internal combustion engines (ICEs). But they’ve been around for almost two decades now and research coming out of the UK, which tracked EVs since they came on the scene, suggests their upsides outweigh their downsides when recharged from a grid that runs mostly on renewable energy.[3] Studies published in the journal “Nature Energy” show that EVs will have a lifespan of 18.4 years compared with 18.7 years for ICEs but have better reliability. That’s awesome! Besides the impact of manufacturing the battery, one of my biggest worries with buying the EV was that the battery would wear out sooner than the life of the vehicle which would cost me more money and also be an environmental burden. But that just doesn’t seem like the case.
In an interview, Robert Elliott, a professor of economics at the University of Birmingham and one of the study’s authors, said:
BEVs [battery electric vehicles] offer significant environmental benefits, especially as Europe switches to a more renewable energy mix. Despite higher initial emissions from production, a long-lasting electric vehicle can quickly offset its carbon footprint, contributing to the fight against climate change – making them a more sustainable long-term option. [4]
I picked up the truck for about the same as a new gas truck, and so far it’s way cheaper to run. Instead of $140 to fill the gas tank, I’m paying about $15 to charge at home. The range is definitely affected by the cold but even at -10C I can make it to Vancouver and back from Whistler so that’s good enough for me. Hopefully that shows improvement come summer when I’ll take it on longer camping trips with my family.
EV trucks are a little bigger than the EVs in the study so I’m not sure I’ll know if I made the best decision for another ten years or so. But for now, it feels good to be trying to reduce my footprint and moving in the direction of a lower carbon future.
And here’s the thing, individual actions matter, but they’re not the whole story.
Switching to an EV is one piece of the puzzle, and understandably one that isn’t possible for everyone. What we really need is a system that makes low-pollution choices easier, cheaper, and accessible to everyone. That means government investment in clean energy, better public transit, policies that support electrification and diversification of the power grid. The only way to increase expertise in the clean energy field and to bring costs down is to get more people doing it, through policy. And the more people show there’s demand for cleaner solutions, the easier it becomes to push for change.
If you’re wondering where to start when it comes to reducing your carbon footprint, you’re not alone. Every little bit counts when we add it all up; so whether you choose to bike to work one day a week instead of driving, taking the bus a little more often, or switch your ICE to an EV you’re making a difference. But something everyone can do, is to keep pushing for the kind of systemic change that makes those choices second nature instead of sacrifices.
References:
[1] BC Hydro: https://www.bchydro.com/toolbar/about/accountability_reports/financial_reports/annual_reports.html
[2] BC Govt: Powering Our Future Report 2024 https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/farming-natural-resources-and-industry/electricity-alternative-energy/community-energy-solutions/powering_our_future_-_bcs_clean_energy_strategy_2024.pdf
[3] https://www.nature.com/articles/s41560-024-01698-1
Photos: Tobin Seagel & Reuben Krabbe
