The Race to Net Zero: will EVs get us there fast enough?

Transitioning to electric vehicles is essential to meeting our climate goals. But there are so many barriers to overcome – from expanding EV charging infrastructure, to updating the power grid, to mining the metals that make batteries go. In the first of a two-part series on decarbonizing transportation, we try to answer the critical question: is it all happening fast enough to avoid the worst climate impacts? Featuring: Craig Bentley, Nora Naughton, Sara Baldwin, Thea Riofrancos If you’ve got a question for the Outside/Inbox hotline, give us a call! We’re always looking for rabbit holes to dive down into. Leave us a voicemail at: 1-844-GO-OTTER (844-466-8837), or email us at outsidein@nhpr.org. SUPPORT Outside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to become a sustaining member of Outside/In. Subscribe to our FREE newsletter. Follow Outside/In on Instagram or Twitter, or join our private discussion group on Facebook LINKS EV transition predictive models The 2035 report (Goldman School of Public Policy, UC Berkeley) The long road to electric cars (Reuters) Consumer education and survey findings EV charging levels explained (US DOT) GM EV Live In a Consumer Report's survey and a Reuters/Ipsos survey, more than a third of Americans say they'd consider buying an EV for their next car. Charging infrastructure The Electric Vehicle Road Test (Wall Street Journal) Federal money is now headed to states for building up fast EV chargers on highways (NPR) The grid Why Electric Vehicles Won’t Break the Grid (Scientific American An explosion in proposed clean energy ventures has overwhelmed the system for connecting new power sources to homes and businesses (NY Times) Metal extraction Listen to our episode The lithium gold rush, an in-depth look at where lithium comes from, and who’s being affected by mining it. Read the Achieving Zero Emissions with More Mobility and Less Mining report by Thea Riofrancos. CREDITS Host: Nate Hegyi Reported and produced by Felix Poon Mixed by Felix Poon and Taylor Quimby Edited by Taylor Quimby Editing help from Rebecca lavoie, Justine Paradis, Jessica Hunt, and Mara Haplamazian Rebecca Lavoie is our Executive Producer Music for this episode by Blue Dot Sessions, and Roy Edwin Williams Our theme music is by Breakmaster Cylinder. Outside/In is a production of New Hampshire Public Radio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices