New research has revealed that large-scale adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in the US market could result in up to $188 billion in health benefits by 2050.
Even a less aggressive EV revolution would still result in associated public health benefits in the tens of billions of dollars, says the team at the University of Toronto which conducted the study.
The researchers used computer simulations to model various scenarios, ranging from no more EVs being built to a model in which all new vehicles built from 2035 will be electric.
Rather than the direct climate impact associated with changes in CO2 emissions, the team focussed on other common pollutants produced by fossil fuel combustion, such as nitrogen oxides and sulphur oxides.
These pollutants and their health impacts “are more localized,” according to Professor Daniel Posen. “It matters not only how much we are emitting, but also where we emit them.”
To put a dollar value on the health benefits, the researchers relied on widely accepted calculations relating to economic value and number of years of life lost as a result of air pollution.
One caveat to the results is that these benefits are only achieved if the energy grid continues to decarbonize. While this is happening, study co-author Professor Marianne Hatzopoulou argues that “we should not wait until that process is complete to get more EVs on the road. We need to start on the path to a healthier future today.”
While the US lags behind many other countries on EV adoption, sales in the US in Q1 2024 were up 15% year on year and mid- to long-term projections indicate that the country is on a path to 50% adoption by 2030.
