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Understanding The Positive Impact of Electric Vehicles in Ontario
A. Blain
The University of Western Department of Mechanical & Materials Engineering
The global shift towards sustainable transportation has positioned electric vehicles (EVs)
as a pivotal component in mitigating environmental impact and enhancing energy efficiency in
growing countries such as Canada. In Ontario, the advantages of EVs, including zero exhaust
emissions, reduced noise pollution, and providing superior motor efficiency at lower operating
costs, underscore their potential to revolutionize the automotive landscape. Despite these merits,
the province grapples with challenges such as the need to expand infrastructure, limited
technological education, and insufficient incentives. By implementing evenly distributed
charging stations, educational marketing, and incentives to lure corporate investments to support
regional economies, Ontario’s conversion to 100% electric passenger transportation will
accelerate the transition to a sustainable and electrically powered future.
Global mineral extraction has costly effects on the environment and those who habituate
within their vicinity. The dominant mineral used to fabricate EV batteries is Lithium. Lithium is
found in both hard rock form and in subterranean “salt lakes” in the form of ions, both of which
require resource intensive methods for their extraction. Weinand et al [1] has proposed a solution
to the environmental damage that EV manufacturing incurs before they reach the road. Using
deep geothermal plants in the lithium rich ABC region (Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile), the clean
but energy intensive process of direct lithium extraction can become viable for extraction
companies. In recent years, corporations have been accused of green washing by arguing that
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their emissions are justified by the clean batteries they produce [2], but this method will provide
a direct reduction of emissions across the entire extraction process.
To address the obvious benefit of electric vehicles, the ability to produce a vehicle that
does not rely on internal combustion of crude fuels, has allowed battery powered vehicles to
storm the market as Ontario looks to mitigate environmental impacts. An investigation of how
electric vehicles function must take place to understand how their fuel provides multiple benefits.
The driving force in an EV is the electric motor. These motors are manufactured in many
sizes but generally use the same scientific principles. Using an electric current along with a set of
magnets and layered conducting material, a torsion force can be applied to a drive shaft [3] as
shown in Figure 1. This is how the device creates no emissions.
Figure 1: General Motors Electric Motor [4]
With magnetism creating little to no noise in comparison to an internal combustion
engine, (ICE), the resulting vehicles only produce noise from their wheels contacting the ground.
Furthermore, to increase the efficiency of the vehicle, extra attention is given to the aerodynamic
design of each vehicle which further reduces the noise produced. Campello-Vicente et al [5] have
found that this reduction of noise in urban areas has a beneficial effect on noise maps. Noise
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maps are mathematical analyses of cities that are used to build sufficient infrastructure to
mitigate excess noise levels. They also found that EV’s can become so quiet that additional noise
devices must be implemented to signify when a vehicle is maneuvering populated areas.
While electric vehicles provide reductions in toxic pollutants and noise pollution, they
also have mechanical benefits when compared against the typical ICE. One important example
was calculated by Albatayneh et al [6]. They found that when an EV is charged with renewable
energy, the estimated overall efficiency from power plant to wheel is 40%-70%, at least 10%
greater than any other commonly used fuel. With Ontario being a leader in renewable energies,
this benefit can be taken advantage of to reduce the energy required to power its transportation
sector. From an engineering perspective, the increase in efficiency is credited for the reduction of
components that produce losses in heat energy during driving.
Electric motors are also versatile in where they can be installed. Companies have
explored installing the motors within the wheel wells of EV shown in Figure 2, to increase
design space while taking advantage of the increased motor efficiency. The benefits to this are
found in extra storage space created, such as Tesla’s infamous “Frunk” where the typical ICE is
not needed providing a secondary storage compartment at the front of the vehicle. Gu et al [7]
implemented these motors with various vehicle types to find the best distribution of power load.
They concluded that to best use the electric batteries, energy needs to be evenly distributed
across all four wheels to allow for maximum range per charge. An additional point to consider is
that smaller models are more efficient due to the required battery capacity being proportional to
vehicle size. Something to think of when looking to future cities that lack parking spaces.
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Figure 2: In wheel motor schematic [8]
As various industries work to reduce emissions and wasteful uses of energy across EV
manufacturing, Ontario is also making changes to accommodate for the rapid increase in EV’s
registered [9].
One such improvement concerns the supporting infrastructure for EV’s. Many
researchers have found that the primary cause for slow adoption of this technology is the lack of
charging stations. Specifically, in a recent article, Razi & Dincer [10] stated that “Charging
stations for EVs are comparable with fueling stations of gasoline vehicles since the charging
ports at homes mainly provide level 1 type charging which is very slow.” Charger levels are also
discussed in this article, but the key point is that level 1 is much slower than level 2 and 3. To
reduce this concern with customers, Ontario has been putting millions of dollars towards
strategic installation of level 3 stations throughout the province. The emphasis has been
developing the inter city freeways and major connecting highways such as the 400 series. With
approximately 80% of Canadians driving less than 50 kilometers a day [10], having station
growth in areas where most long-distance trips occur is one way to help reduce the charge
anxiety that consumers have. This demonstrates how Ontario is assisting current users while
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actively developing regions that are lacking support to balance the ratio between gas and electric
stations.
Ontario is also continuing to support the industrial sector of its western regions. With
OEM’s (Original Equipment Manufacturer’s) beginning to set up fabrication plants throughout
Ontario, many companies are investing millions of dollars to build adjacent or standalone
battery factories [11]. One example of this is the NextStar Energy project beginning in Windsor
Ontario, arguably the automotive capital of Canada. This project benefits the province’s
environment and economy by creating more batteries to be shipped within and abroad the
country, as well as providing 2500 new jobs to the region. The Canadian government, in
association with the Ontario government is providing conglomerations such as “NextStar” of
Stellantis and L.G. Energy Solutions, with financial subsidies that are only rewarded to the
companies once their products are shipped, maximizing Ontarians tax dollars. Furthermore,
with rapid announcements of financial support from the federal and provincial governments,
many global auto manufacturers such as GM, Ford, and Volkswagen have begun to invest as
much as 7 billion dollars. In some cases, auto makers are reopening previously closed factories
within Ontario such as GM’s Oshawa truck plant that was retooled in 2020 to allow for EV’s to
be built in Ingersol which had taken over Oshawa’s ICE demand [11].
Although EV’s are beneficial devices, they are not a new product. This has forced
governments across North America to begin withdrawing lucrative subsidies as the industry
becomes self sufficient due to the aforementioned sales growth in Ontario. The significance of
this is described by Wang, Eldeeb, and Mohammad [12] when they write, this " has forced them
(OEM’s) to find ways to design EVs that are more popular among customers and more persistent
in finding potential users.” Despite this, Ontario citizens will still benefit from these changes as
companies will cater towards the middle class where most EV’s have been inaccessible due to
extreme prices for luxury models.
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In exploring Ontario's transition to sustainable transportation through the widespread
adoption of EV’s, this analysis reviews Ontario’s solutions to persistent challenges to maximize
their environmental benefits, such as reduced emissions and noise pollution. Through
examination into the environmental consequences of lithium extraction for EV batteries, a
solution was proposed in the utilization of deep geothermal power plants in the ABC region.
Furthermore, the mechanical advantages of EVs, including enhanced efficiency and the
adaptability of motor placement allows for better vehicle performance. Notably, this study
highlights Ontario's ongoing efforts to address charging infrastructure gaps, particularly the
strategic installation of level 3 charging stations along major highways. Additionally, the
province's support for the EV industry is highlighted with OEM’s establishing plants and
receiving substantial government subsidies. While acknowledging the gradual withdrawal of
those subsidies as manufacturers become self-sufficient, this paper foresees potential benefits for
Ontario's middle class, anticipating increased EV affordability and accessibility. This suggests a
future where sustainable transportation becomes a pivotal aspect of the province's automotive
landscape.
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References
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2023).
[2] L. I. González and R. Snyder, Modes of Extraction in Latin America’s Lithium Triangle:
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New York: The W. J Johnston Company, 1892.
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[5] H. Campello-Vicente, R. Peral-Orts, N. Campillo-Davo, and E. Velasco-Sanchez, The effect
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[10] F. Razi and I. Dincer, “A review of the current state, challenges, opportunities and future
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