Throughout my youth, I’ve seen a gradual increase in the usage and production of electric cars in the United States and internationally. When the production of Tesla vehicles increased in the early 2010s, I was skeptical: I couldn’t see a future where electric vehicles controlled the streets — gasoline was simply cheaper, more accessible, and already available.
For vehicle manufacturers to transition from gas to electric, they’d have to completely overhaul their supply chains, develop new technologies, and retrain or hire new staff — an extremely costly and timely process that I thought was impractical. In addition, the cost associated with installing electric vehicle chargers across the country would be astronomical. Although there are already many electric vehicle charging ports installed, with the number doubling in the past three years (IMAGE 1), charging ports are expensive — costing between $500 and $2500 to install. However, as technology has developed, more electric vehicle companies have arisen — Rivian, NIO, and others —and major auto companies like Toyota, Ford, Nissan, and more transitioned to electric vehicles. Federal legislation like up to a $7500 tax rebate for purchasing an electric vehicle, introduced by the Inflation Reduction Act has incentivized consumers to buy more into the electric vehicle lifestyle.
In addition, California amongst other states has introduced the zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) program, requiring auto manufacturers to sell a minimum number of electric vehicles. What is Pennsylvania doing? Not enough. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has introduced the Alternative Fuel Vehicle Rebate program, providing eligible residents with rebates of $2,000 to $3,000 on electric and alternative vehicles. On a federal level, however, there has been initiative. Biden’s campaign has introduced new investments in electric vehicles, aiming for 50% of all new vehicle sales to be electric by 2030. They’ve committed to investing more in private and public sector electric vehicles to make electric vehicles more affordable to the public. In PA, I believe that we need to match federal goals in order to help combat climate change.
I’ve gradually seen an increase in electric vehicle usage across Haverford, which has been positive, but by the time electric vehicles are as dominant in the vehicle market as gasoline vehicles, it may be too late. Haverford students along with state and federal governments need to be doing more. Sixth Former Dalton Feild, who drives a Tesla Model S to school each day, believes that electric vehicles will continue to gain traction over the next few years.
“My family decided to get an electric car simply because we thought it would be more efficient in the long run, it’s a high-quality car, and it’s good for the environment,” Feild said. “I think that consumers will start to see that and as vehicle manufacturers start to do a better job, we’ll see more and more electric transportation.”
And I support Feild’s’s prediction. We most definitely will begin to see more electric cars, but at the rate that we’re headed, it may be too little, too late. At Haverford, we’ve seen more support for electric cars. Electric vehicle charging on campus and parking for fuel-efficient vehicles. But policymakers and government officials need to do more to encourage consumers and manufacturers to buy in to electric vehicles. There is only one Earth, and we need to prioritize it and keep it healthy — for the sake of my future, and the classmates around me.
