Vad händer
En nypublicerad forskningsstudie från Keck School of Medicine of USC dokumenterar den positiva effekten av elfordon på luftföroreningar och hälsa.
Kontext
Studien jämför elbilsregistreringar, luftföroreningsnivåer och astmarelaterade besök på akuten i Kalifornien mellan 2013 och 2019. I takt med ökat antal elbilar för ett område föll lokala nivåer av föroreningar och antal besök på akutmottagningen.
Vad har det för betydelse
“When we think about the actions related to climate change, often it’s on a global level,” said Erika Garcia, PhD, MPH, an assistant professor of population and public health sciences at the Keck School of Medicine and the study’s lead author. “But the idea that changes being made at the local level can improve the health of your own community could be a powerful message to the public and to policy makers.”
Past research has shown that underserved communities, such as lower-income neighborhoods, tend to face worse pollution and associated respiratory problems than more affluent areas. If ZEVs replace gas-powered cars in those neighborhoods, they could stand to benefit substantially.
Keck School of Medicine of USC: Study links adoption of electric vehicles with less air pollution and improved health
Mellan raderna
The findings are promising, Garcia said, but many questions remain. Future studies should consider additional impacts of ZEVs, including
- emissions related to brake and tire wear,
- mining of materials for their manufacture, and
- disposal of old cars.
The researchers also hope to study additional types of pollutants and other classes of vehicles, in addition to conducting a follow-up study of the effects of the ever-growing share of ZEVs in the state.
Keck School of Medicine of USC: Study links adoption of electric vehicles with less air pollution and improved health
