A recent study from the University of Toronto’s Department of Civil & Mineral Engineering highlights the potential public health benefits of widespread electric vehicle (EV) adoption in the U.S.
Researchers utilized computer simulations to estimate that transitioning to EVs, paired with a substantial increase in renewable energy, could result in health benefits worth between $84 billion and $188 billion by 2050.
The study emphasizes that while much attention is given to the reduction of CO2 emissions from EVs, internal combustion vehicles also emit harmful air pollutants that significantly impact public health.
Professor Marianne Hatzopoulou, a co-author of the study, notes that marginalized and low-income populations disproportionately suffer from these pollutants.
The research team, including lead author Jean Schmitt and Professors Daniel Posen and Heather Maclean, previously developed models assessing the effects of EV adoption on the U.S. market.
Health benefits from EV adoption could reach up to $188 billion by 2050, researchers say.Their findings indicated that EV adoption alone cannot achieve the Paris Agreement targets, advocating for complementary strategies like enhanced public transit and increased housing density.
In this latest study, the team simulated various pollution scenarios, focusing on nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which have localized health impacts.
Although EVs generate no tailpipe emissions, the source of their electricity matters—if derived from fossil fuels, they can still contribute to air pollution.
The researchers modeled two scenarios up to 2050: one assuming a halt in EV production and another predicting that all new vehicles sold will be electric by 2035, aligning with commitments from countries like Norway and Canada.
Their results show that public health benefits from large-scale EV adoption could reach hundreds of billions of dollars, provided the electric grid continues its transition away from fossil fuels.
The study urges immediate action, stressing that delaying EV adoption while waiting for a fully green grid could lock in harmful emissions from internal combustion vehicles for years to come.