Other countries are transitioning to electric vehicles faster than the United States.
Gregory Keoleian, professor of sustainable systems at the University of Michigan, details some reasons to make the switch.
Faculty Bio:
Dr. Greg Keoleian is the Peter M. Wege Professor of Sustainable Systems at the University of Michigan and serves as co-Director of the Center for Sustainable Systems, which he cofounded in 1991. His research focuses on systems analysis including life cycle assessment, life cycle costing, and optimization to accelerate climate and sustainability solutions across energy, mobility, buildings, infrastructure, water and wastewater, IT, food systems, and consumer products. He combines systems analysis, sustainability science, and stakeholder engagement to solve critical sustainability challenges and advances solutions by aligning technology, markets, policy, and behavior drivers. He has collaborated with business and industry, national labs, government agencies, and NGOs on hundreds of applied research projects and publications.
Dr. Keoleian has appointments as Professor in the School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS) and as Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. In 2022, he recently was appointed to co-direct MI Hydrogen at UM, a cross campus enterprise to create hydrogen solutions that accelerate clean energy transitions. He earned his PhD in chemical engineering from the University of Michigan in 1987.
In 2007, he launched and leads the Engineering Sustainable Systems dual degree program to train a new breed of engineers in sustainable systems. Dr. Keoleian was named to the Reuters Hot List of the world’s top climate scientists in 2021 and was awarded the Society Prize by the International Society for Industrial Ecology in 2025.
Transcript:
Transportation is the second highest household expenditure and automobiles account for 1/6th of total U.S. carbon pollution. So, vehicle choice has a big impact on your budget and the environment.
Total cost of ownership includes vehicle purchase and financing, fuel costs, maintenance and repair, insurance, and taxes. Although upfront costs are higher for electric vehicles, operation and maintenance costs are much lower than gasoline counterparts. Electric sedans and small SUVs have the lowest total ownership costs in most US cities. Battery costs, which account for about 30 percent of total vehicle costs, are decreasing so larger SUVs and pickup trucks will soon reach cost parity particularly given high gasoline prices. 70% of vehicle purchases are used vehicles and used EVs have the least ownership costs so this is an excellent time to buy one.
Let’s shift gears and talk about climate pollution. Many have experienced the smoke from wildfires this summer driven by drier and hotter conditions in the Canadian boreal forests. Costs from weather and climate disasters including droughts, wildfires, flooding and health effects are increasing in the US; they reached $183 billion in 2024. EVs are a key solution. More vehicle electrification, moving from hybrids to plug-in hybrids to all battery electric vehicles means greater benefits. On average, battery electric vehicles have 70% lower lifetime greenhouse gas emissions compared to internal combustion engine vehicles. New England states, due to their cleaner grids, have even lower lifetime emissions.
In China, over 60% of vehicle sales are electric and Norway is above 90% compared to 7% now in the US. EVs are the future, they are quieter, cleaner, and drive better. It’s time for the US to break away from a fossil fuel-based economy and not only strengthen our economic competitiveness but care for the planet and our grandchildren’s future.
Read More:
[Michigan] - Vehicle Lifecycle Emissions Calculator
[Michigan News] - EVs reduce climate pollution, but by how much? New U-M research has the answer
[Michigan News] - Electric vs. gasoline vehicles: Is EV ownership competitive in your area?
[Michigan News] - Used EVs currently offer car buyers lowest lifetime cost of ownership
Michigan Center for Sustainable Systems - Electric Vehicles Factsheet
· Vehicle choice and emissions reduction study
· Total cost of ownership study – new vehicles
· Total cost of ownership study – used vehicles
