It has been argued in The Conversation article (2018) that electric cars are a “quick-to-deploy technology fix that helps tackle climate change and improve urban air quality—at least to a point”. But there are some valid concerns about the overall sustainability of electric vehicles, for example, elements such as cobalt and lithium used in battery production are finite and in limited supply.
Suppose in the next five to ten years there is a sharp increase in the manufacturing of and consumer demand for electric vehicles which results in a significant depletion of scarce metals (cobalt, lithium). Suppose this also causes a sharp rise in traffic congestion and the frequency of vehicle accidents.
- Explain why there is likely to be an increase in measured global GDP in this case.
- Discuss whether GDP is a ‘good’ measure of progress in this case.
