Who Is Rosh?
Rosh, who goes by @all_about_climate on TikTok, is a Ph.D. student with degrees in earth and climate science who creates videos explaining the current climate crisis to his thousands of followers.
Source: @all_about_climate/TikTok
And in one of his most recent clips, he addresses and completely debunks the theory that EVs are bad for the environment.
The Theory in Question
Before diving into Rosh’s response to the EV hypothesis, it’s first crucial to understand this idea and why many people believe that EVs are actually bad for the environment.
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The theory is based on the fact that EVs use lithium batteries to run, and as the first clip in Rosh’s TikTok says, “The amount of money and the amount of energy being used to make a lithium battery, it’s more dangerous for the environment than a fuel, internal combustion engine.”
Lithium Needs to Be Mined to Create the Batteries
Because the lithium needed to make EV batteries is mined from below the earth’s surface, many argue that mining the chemical element will cause more harm to the planet.
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Specifically, they believe that mining the excessive amount of lithium needed to produce more EVs will use more CO2-emitting fossil fuels than would be used by producing and using standard, gas-powered vehicles.
Rosh Proceeds to Debunk the Lithium Battery Theory
After showing his followers the short clip explaining the concept that EVs are bad for the environment, he proceeds to share a graph Generation Investment Management released that shows just how much aluminum, iron, copper, and lithium were mined in 2022.
Source: @all_about_climate/TikTok
The graph clearly shows that while 1.3 million kilotons of iron, 69,000 kilotons of aluminum, and 26,000 kilotons of copper were mined that year, only 130 kilotons of lithium were removed from the Earth.
Rosh Includes How Much Lithium Will Be Mined in 2050
Rosh also includes information from the International Energy Agency which states that the estimated demand for lithium will only be at 1,313 kilotons by 2050.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
And that is allegedly accounting for the vast number of EVs that will be built over the next 27 years. Rosh explains, “So, yes, we do need to mine lithium. But the scale of it is nothing compared to what we are already doing.”
Lithium Batteries Are 95% Recyclable
Although Rosh’s video doesn’t use the argument that lithium batteries are also recyclable, his followers certainly did in the comment section.
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And these TikTokers actually have it right; according to J.D. Power, the majority of EV lithium batteries are up to 90% recyclable, and some recycling companies can even reuse 98% of the used batteries.
What About the Fossil Fuels Used to Mine Lithium Batteries?
There is no doubt that mining lithium will certainly use fossil fuels that release CO2 into the air, but what Rosh is explaining is that these fossil fuels in no way compare to the building and use of standard cars.
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For every ton of lithium mined, 15 tons of C02 are released, and as every EV only needs about 8 kilograms of lithium, one ton would create 125 vehicles. However, after the EVs are built, they don’t release any C02 into the air, whereas the average car will emit 4.6 tons every year.
There Is Plenty of Lithium on the Planet
Another argument about lithium mining and EVs is that the planet simply doesn’t have enough of the chemical element to build enough vehicles for the entire population to go electric.
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However, recent data also debunked that theory. Earth currently has 88 million tons of lithium, which could make 11 billion lithium-ion batteries, not to mention the fact that these batteries are completely recyclable and reusable.
EVs Are Quite Clearly Better for the Environment, They’re Just Not Perfect
It’s important to understand that, as Rosh says, “Electric vehicles alone won’t solve climate change” (via Yahoo).
Source: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
And mining for lithium does use fossil fuels, which many environmentalists around the world are hoping will be completely terminated in the near future. But they are still a better option than the cars we use now.
Where Did the EV Rumor Come From?
If, as the numbers show, EVs will undoubtedly use less fossil fuels and produce less C02 than regular cars both while they’re being built and after they’re up and running, where did this rumor come from?
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Some argue that “Big Oil” companies who have the most to lose from electric vehicles wanted to spread doubt as to whether or not they were really better for the planet than other cars, but no one knows for sure.
There Is No Such Thing as Entirely Clean Energy
The truth is that, at this point, there is no such thing as entirely clean energy. For years, humans have relied far too heavily on fossil fuels, as we really don’t know how to function without them yet.
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However, many hope that as we learn more about renewable and sustainable energy sources, as well as take steps toward minimizing fossil fuel emissions, we will be able to make real and lasting changes to the system and the planet itself.