Journal of Science Policy & Governance
  • Home
  • About
    • About
    • JSPG Anniversary Page
    • Staff
    • Ambassadors
    • Boards >
      • Advisory Board
      • Governing Board
      • Editorial Board
    • Careers >
      • Associate Editor
    • Partners
    • Sponsorships
    • Contact
  • Volumes
    • Volume 26 Issue 01
    • Volume 25 Issue 01
    • Volume 24 Issue 01
    • Sigma Xi and Rita Allen Foundation - Civic Science for Transformative Policy Solutions to Societal Challenges
    • Volume 23 Issue 01
    • APS Policy and Governance on Science, Technology and Global Security
    • IAI Development Policy and Global Change Science to Achieve the Vision of Sustainable Americas
    • Volume 22 Issue 01
    • GHFUTURES2030 Strengthening Youth-centered Policy and Governance of Digital Transformations in Health.
    • UNESCO AND MGCY OPEN SCIENCE POLICIES AS AN ACCELERATOR FOR ACHIEVING THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
    • Volume 21 Issue 01 >
      • Cover Memo: Volume 21, Issue 1, Summer Standard Issue
    • JSPG and UCL STEAPP Special Topics: Innovations in Science Diplomacy >
      • Cover Memo: Volume 20, Issue 3, Special Issue on Innovations in Science Diplomacy
    • Sigma XI-JSPG Special Issue: Re-envisioning STEM Education and Workforce Development for the 21st Century
    • Volume 20 Issue 01
    • JSPG Volume 19 Issue 01 (10 Years of Publishing)
    • Special Issue: 2021 NSPN-JSPG Policy Memo Competition
    • Special Issue: Shaping the Future of Science Policy
    • JSPG-UK SIN Special Issue: Climate Change Solutions
    • Volume 18 Issue 01
    • Special Issue: 2020 NSPN-JSPG Policy Memo Competition
    • Volume 17 Issue 01 (Supported by AAAS STPF)
    • JSPG-UN MGCY Special Issue: Impacts of Emerging Technologies
    • Volume 16 Issue 01
    • Volume 15 (Supported by CSPC)
    • Special Issue: 2019 NSPN-JSPG Policy Memo Competition
    • Volume 14
    • Volume 13
    • Volume 12
    • Volume 11
    • Volume 10
    • Volume 9
    • Volume 8
    • Volume 7
    • Volume 6
    • JSPG-UCS Special Issue: Healthy Food Policy
    • Volume 5
    • Volume 4
    • Special Issue: Hot Topics 2013
    • Volume 3
    • Volume 2
    • Volume 1
  • Submit to JSPG
    • Submission deadlines and guidelines
  • Announcements
    • News
    • Blog
  • Events
    • JSPG and NSPN 2024 Summer Standard Issue Events
    • Leadership chat series
  • Training
    • Writing
    • Resources
  • Media Mentions
  • Policy in action
  • Podcast
  • fabricated

Beyond Electric Vehicles: Recommendations for State and Municipal Policymakers to Ensure a Sustainable Transportation Future​

Journal of Science Policy & Governance
Volume 25, Issue 01 | October 28, 2024

Op-Ed: Beyond Electric Vehicles: Recommendations for State and Municipal Policymakers to Ensure a Sustainable Transportation Future

Ryan Spangler1, Sudipta Kundu2, Trevor White3,4, Varun Darshana Parekh5
  1. Pennsylvania State University, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University Park, PA, USA
  2. Pennsylvania State University, Department of Chemistry, University Park, PA, USA
  3. Pennsylvania State University, Department of Meteorology, University Park, PA, USA
  4. Pennsylvania State University, Department of Economics, University Park, PA, USA
  5. Pennsylvania State University, Department of Computer Science, University Park, PA, USA
​​
​Corresponding author:  [email protected]​​
DowNLOAD PDF
Keywords: transportation; electric vehicles; batteries; urban development; sustainability; climate change
https://doi.org/10.38126/JSPG250115

Executive Summary

Electric vehicles have rapidly become a primary component of the US’s strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the severity of climate change. While it will surely serve an important role, EV technological advancement alone is far from a silver bullet to solve all transportation-related climate woes. On the contrary, the formidable degree of electrification necessary to meet climate goals, paired with the rapid development of clean power grids and the immense quantity of critical minerals such as lithium and cobalt needed to power this transition, is a cause for concern over the feasibility of a strategy relying fundamentally on electric vehicles. A more comprehensive, impactful, and sustainable strategy would target the car-centric foundations of US culture to make electrification more attainable while also reducing the per-vehicle resource burden and promoting more sustainable battery alternatives.

-Read the full article through download.-

DOWNLOAD PDF
<< previous article
Next Article >>

Background header image courtesy of evconnect



Ryan Spangler is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at The Pennsylvania State University and has led advocacy efforts in the on-campus Science Policy Society. His research interests include thin film synthesis and nanophotonics, aiming to improve thermal management and energy efficiency of electronic  microdevices.

Sudipta Kundu is a chemistry graduate student at Pennsylvania State University, where his research focuses on nanomaterials having applications in sustainable energy technologies. He earned his Master of Science in Chemistry from the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science in India. During his bachelor’s studies at St. Xavier’s College in Kolkata, India, Sudipta developed a keen interest in working on materials that address energy-related challenges. He has also pursued research on materials for sustainable energy storage, such as sodium-ion batteries. He is also a member of the Penn State University Science Policy Society.

Trevor White is an undergraduate student finishing his senior year at Pennsylvania State University – Main Campus. He is working towards two bachelor’s degrees in Economics and Atmospheric Science, and he is minoring in Energy Business and Finance. He is interested in the intersection of climate science policies with larger social justice issues, namely how said policies can be used to both build resilience for communities and correct historical wrongs. Prior to his time at Penn State, Trevor served as a meteorologist in the Marine Corps for eight years.

Varun Parekh is a Ph.D. candidate in the Microsystems Design Lab, Department of Computer Science and Engineering at The Pennsylvania State University. As an active member of the on-campus Science Policy Society, he has engaged in numerous advocacy efforts related to science policy and tech diplomacy. His research interests focus on computer architecture for AI, including near-memory computing architectures, chiplet placement, and efficient thermal management of resource-intensive hardware.

Acknowledgements 
We would like to thank the Science Policy Society at the Pennsylvania State University for providing a platform through which students may participate in science policy discussions, develop writing skills, and advocate for science-based policy decisions.

References

  1. Baumann-Pauly, Dorothee. 2023. “Cobalt Mining in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Addressing Root Causes of Human Rights Abuses.” Geneva Center for Business and Human Rights and NYU Stern Center for Business and Human Rights. ​https://gcbhr.org/insights/2023/02/cobalt-mining-in-the-democratic-republic-of-the-congo-addressing-root-causes-of-human-rights-abuses
  2. Call, Brian, Linnea Goderstad, Maxwell Lohse, and Alex Menke. 2023. “Mixing Expectations: Examining the Fiscal Impacts of Mixed Use Development in Bloomington, Minnesota.” https://hdl.handle.net/11299/255403. 
  3. Cohen, Emma. 2013. “Segregated Bike Lanes Are Safest for Cyclists.” CMAJ 185 (10): E443–44. https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.109-4468. 
  4. Huether, Peter, Charlotte Cohn, Ben Jennings, Jasmine Mah, Ethan Taylor, Carolin Tolentino, and Shruti Vaidyanthan. 2023. “State Transportation Electrification Scorecard.” American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. https://www.aceee.org/research-report/t2301. 
  5. Hwang, Jackelyn, and Lei Ding. 2020. “Unequal Displacement: Gentrification, Racial Stratification, and Residential Destinations in Philadelphia.” American Journal of Sociology 126 (2): 354–406. https://doi.org/10.1086/711015. 
  6. Iannillo, Alessia, and Isidoro Fasolino. 2021. “Land-Use Mix and Urban Sustainability: Benefits and Indicators Analysis.” Sustainability 13 (23): 13460. https://doi.org/10.3390/su132313460.
  7. “Inventory of US Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2022.” 2024. EPA 430-R-24-004. US Environmental Protection Agency. https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/inventory-us-greenhouse-gas-emissions-and-sinks-1990-2022. 
  8. May, Mike. 2010. “Former Life of the Electric Car.” Scientific American. August 1, 2010. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/former-life-of-the-electric-car/.
  9. Milovanoff, Alexandre, I. Daniel Posen, and Heather L. MacLean. 2020. “Electrification of Light-Duty Vehicle Fleet Alone Will Not Meet Mitigation Targets.” Nature Climate Change 10 (12): 1102–7.  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-020-00921-7.
  10. Katwala, Amit. 2018. “The Spiralling Environmental Cost of Our Lithium Battery Addiction | WIRED.” August 5, 2018. https://www.wired.com/story/lithium-batteries-environment-impact/?ref=hir.harvard.edu.
  11. Milovanoff, Alexandre, I. Daniel Posen, and Heather L. MacLean. 2020. “Electrification of Light-Duty Vehicle Fleet Alone Will Not Meet Mitigation Targets.” Nature Climate Change 10 (12): 1102–7. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-020-00921-7.
  12. “Mineral Commodity Summaries.” 2020. US Geological Survey. https://doi.org/10.3133/mcs2020
  13. Needell, Zachary A., James McNerney, Michael T. Chang, and Jessika E. Trancik. 2016. “Potential for Widespread Electrification of Personal Vehicle Travel in the United States.” Nature Energy 1 (9): 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1038/nenergy.2016.112. 
  14. Osaka, Shannon. 2023. “Analysis | The Obsession with EV Range Is All Wrong.” Washington Post, July 19, 2023. https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/2023/07/07/ev-range-anxiety-battery-myth/.
  15. Pevec, Dario, Jurica Babic, Arthur Carvalho, Yashar Ghiassi-Farrokhfal, Wolfgang Ketter, and Vedran Podobnik. 2019. “Electric Vehicle Range Anxiety: An Obstacle for the Personal Transportation (R)Evolution?” In 2019 4th International Conference on Smart and Sustainable Technologies (SpliTech), 1–8. Split, Croatia: IEEE. https://doi.org/10.23919/SpliTech.2019.8783178.
  16. Riofrancos, Thea, Alissa Kendall, Kristi K. Dayemo, Matthew Haugen, Kira McDonald, Batul Hassan, Margaret Slattery, and Xan Lillehei. 2023. “Achieving Zero Emissions with More Mobility and Less Mining.” Climate and Community Project. http://www.climateandcommunity.org/more-mobility-less-mining.
  17. Segraves, Mark. 2022. “DC Vehicle Registration Will More Than Triple for Some SUVs, Trucks by 2024.” NBC4 Washington, May 28, 2022. https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/dc-vehicle-registration-will-more-than-triple-for-some-suvs-trucks-by-2024/3063961/.
  18. Shaffer, Blake, Maximilian Auffhammer, and Constantine Samaras. 2021. “Make Electric Vehicles Lighter to Maximize Climate and Safety Benefits.” Nature 598 (7880): 254–56. https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-021-02760-8.
  19. “Sodium-Ion Batteries – a Viable Alternative to Lithium?” 2024. PV Magazine. March 22, 2024. https://www.pv-magazine.com/2024/03/22/sodium-ion-batteries-a-viable-alternative-to-lithium.

DISCLAIMER: The findings and conclusions published herein are solely attributed to the author and not necessarily endorsed or adopted by the Journal of Science Policy and Governance. Articles are distributed in compliance with copyright and trademark agreements.

ISSN 2372-2193
Picture
© 2022 Journal of Science Policy & Governance, Inc. All rights reserved. The opinions, findings and conclusions from JSPG publications, additional article commentaries and related events do not necessarily reflect the views of the journal.
  • Home
  • About
    • About
    • JSPG Anniversary Page
    • Staff
    • Ambassadors
    • Boards >
      • Advisory Board
      • Governing Board
      • Editorial Board
    • Careers >
      • Associate Editor
    • Partners
    • Sponsorships
    • Contact
  • Volumes
    • Volume 26 Issue 01
    • Volume 25 Issue 01
    • Volume 24 Issue 01
    • Sigma Xi and Rita Allen Foundation - Civic Science for Transformative Policy Solutions to Societal Challenges
    • Volume 23 Issue 01
    • APS Policy and Governance on Science, Technology and Global Security
    • IAI Development Policy and Global Change Science to Achieve the Vision of Sustainable Americas
    • Volume 22 Issue 01
    • GHFUTURES2030 Strengthening Youth-centered Policy and Governance of Digital Transformations in Health.
    • UNESCO AND MGCY OPEN SCIENCE POLICIES AS AN ACCELERATOR FOR ACHIEVING THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
    • Volume 21 Issue 01 >
      • Cover Memo: Volume 21, Issue 1, Summer Standard Issue
    • JSPG and UCL STEAPP Special Topics: Innovations in Science Diplomacy >
      • Cover Memo: Volume 20, Issue 3, Special Issue on Innovations in Science Diplomacy
    • Sigma XI-JSPG Special Issue: Re-envisioning STEM Education and Workforce Development for the 21st Century
    • Volume 20 Issue 01
    • JSPG Volume 19 Issue 01 (10 Years of Publishing)
    • Special Issue: 2021 NSPN-JSPG Policy Memo Competition
    • Special Issue: Shaping the Future of Science Policy
    • JSPG-UK SIN Special Issue: Climate Change Solutions
    • Volume 18 Issue 01
    • Special Issue: 2020 NSPN-JSPG Policy Memo Competition
    • Volume 17 Issue 01 (Supported by AAAS STPF)
    • JSPG-UN MGCY Special Issue: Impacts of Emerging Technologies
    • Volume 16 Issue 01
    • Volume 15 (Supported by CSPC)
    • Special Issue: 2019 NSPN-JSPG Policy Memo Competition
    • Volume 14
    • Volume 13
    • Volume 12
    • Volume 11
    • Volume 10
    • Volume 9
    • Volume 8
    • Volume 7
    • Volume 6
    • JSPG-UCS Special Issue: Healthy Food Policy
    • Volume 5
    • Volume 4
    • Special Issue: Hot Topics 2013
    • Volume 3
    • Volume 2
    • Volume 1
  • Submit to JSPG
    • Submission deadlines and guidelines
  • Announcements
    • News
    • Blog
  • Events
    • JSPG and NSPN 2024 Summer Standard Issue Events
    • Leadership chat series
  • Training
    • Writing
    • Resources
  • Media Mentions
  • Policy in action
  • Podcast
  • fabricated