The US going 100% EV by 2040 would save more than 100k lives, study says
Summary
A study by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) finds that switching all vehicles to electric by 2040 in the US could save over 100,000 lives by reducing air pollution. The report compares different scenarios of electric vehicle use and shows major health benefits, especially in reducing diseases linked to pollution.Key Facts
- Air pollution from road transport causes over 41,800 early deaths in the US each year.
- Harmful chemicals like nitrogen oxides and particulates from engines contribute to lung diseases, asthma, and heart problems.
- Heavy-duty diesel vehicles cause a large share of pollution, despite being a small portion of the total vehicles.
- The ICCT study modeled vehicle emissions and health impacts through 2050, covering cars, trucks, buses, and smaller two- and three-wheel vehicles.
- A scenario with 100% zero-emission vehicles by 2045 predicts big drops in air pollution worldwide, helping the poorest countries as well.
- In 2024, transportation pollution caused nearly 700,000 early deaths and 250,000 new asthma cases globally.
- The US leads in new asthma cases related to pollution, with about 23,100 in 2024.
- Even without aggressive policies, richer countries like the US could see about a 50% reduction in pollution-related early deaths with existing trends by 2025.
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