More Job Opportunities in EVs Than Ever
By Henry Holden | June 2, 2023
Today, I’m thinking about my 7th grade science teacher Mr. H. A lovely gentleman with a great passion and appreciation for sustainability before it was “cool”. He would drive an electric 3-wheeled, bright turquoise car to school every day. Picture a Smart Car that works for Patagonia. The thing looked like it ran off of compost and electrolyte packets. At the time, I just thought it was a funny-looking car, but I now realize that was my first experience with an Electric Vehicle.
Electric vehicles (EVs) have come a long way in America in recent years, and the progress they have made is set to create new jobs, decrease carbon emissions, and help us move toward a more sustainable future. As more people become aware of the benefits of EVs, they are increasingly choosing to switch from traditional gas-powered vehicles to EVs
What does this mean?
More jobs! EVs are changing the dynamics of the automotive industry for the better. In the United States, a study by the BlueGreen Alliance found that the transition to electric vehicles could create hundreds of thousands of new jobs by 2030. Motivating the idea that investing in electric vehicles can be good for the job market in several ways.
First, the production and adoption of EVs create jobs in areas such as battery manufacturing, charging infrastructure installation, and research and development of new EV technologies. These jobs require specialized skills and education, creating opportunities for workers in industries that may be declining, such as traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle manufacturing.
Second, as the demand for EVs increases, so does the need for workers in areas such as sales, service, and maintenance. This creates opportunities for people with a variety of backgrounds and skills to enter the automotive industry.
The transition to EVs is instrumental in reducing carbon emissions and driving us toward a more sustainable future. MIT researchers have discovered that gasoline cars emit over 350 grams of CO2 per mile driven throughout their lifespan. In comparison, hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles emit around 260 grams per mile, while fully battery-electric vehicles emit just 200 grams. Similarly, data from the U.S. Department of Energy reveals that EVs produce 3,932 lbs. of CO2 equivalent per year, significantly lower than the 5,772 lbs. emitted by plug-in hybrids, 6,258 lbs. by typical hybrids, and a staggering 11,435 lbs. by gasoline vehicles. This data underscores the significant role EVs play in reducing carbon emissions and fostering a more sustainable environment.
I can leave my house and get to a gas station in 3-5 minutes, but I can’t say the same about charging stations for EVs. We will see a big change in that over the next 10 years.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy's Alternative Fuels Data Center, as of May 2023, there are over 115,000 charging stations for EVs across the United States, with a total of over 460,000 individual charging outlets. The number of charging stations is growing rapidly, with an average of over 1,000 new charging stations added each month in 2022. Additionally, the Biden Administration has set a goal of deploying 500,000 new public charging stations by 2030 as part of their plan to address climate change and promote the adoption of EVs in the United States.
This is all easier said than done, but in some ways, it doesn’t have to be. With the increase in job opportunities across renewables, it is up to those Renewable Energy Companies (EVs, Solar, BESS, and Wind Developers, Owners, and Operators) to expand their hiring processes to allow Engineers, Projects Managers, and Developers from other industries to transition into theirs. Opening the door for talented people with parallel experience is one of the many ways to contribute to climate change. With more people entering the renewable energy industry and increasing the output of EVs and Charging Infrastructure in the world (along with other renewable energy), carbon emissions will see a significant decrease.
Sources
U.S. Department of Energy - Alternative Fuels Data Center. Available at: https://afdc.energy.gov/data.
U.S. Department of Energy - Alternative Fuels Data Center. "Electricity Infrastructure Trends." Available at: https://afdc.energy.gov/fuels/electricity_infrastructure_trends.html.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). "Are Electric Vehicles Definitely Better for the Climate than Gas-Powered Cars?" Climate CoLab. Available at: https://climate.mit.edu/ask-mit/are-electric-vehicles-definitely-better-climate-gas-powered-cars.
BlueGreen Alliance. "Clean Vehicles and Fuels." Available at: https://www.bluegreenalliance.org/work-issue/clean-vehicles-and-fuels/.