Shift to electric vehicles may have unintended global cost

New Zealand’s shift towards electric vehicles (EVs) promises environmental benefits but instead may fuel global ecological issues, says new research.

In March 2025, 757 fully electric light vehicles and 533 plug-in hybrids were registered in New Zealand, making up 10.6% of all new passenger car registrations.

Extracting a tonne of lithium, a key component in EV batteries, requires more than 2000 litres of water.

The Motor Trade Association's sector manager for dealers, Larry Fallowfield, says while lithium is key to EV batteries, the full environmental cost of its extraction, particularly on land, remains unclear.

“Mining lithium requires a lot of manpower and heavy equipment, and we don't really know what the impact is on the land that's left behind.

“We see pictures from China and Chile from time to time, but you rarely see what that landscape looks like after they've finished mining there.”

Chile’s largest salt flat, Salar de Atacama, has lost 65 per cent of its water supply due to lithium extraction.

This has led to water shortages that severely impact local farmers' ability to grow crops and maintain livestock.

Chinese lithium mining in Tibet has released chemicals like hydrochloric acid into the Liqi River, poisoning fish and killing livestock.

Fallowfield says EV battery production is set to change significantly, with a potential shift away from lithium-ion technology expected in the next few years.

LISTEN: Larry Fallowfield on the future of battery technology.

In a statement issued to TWN, Greenpeace Aotearoa board member Genevieve Toop says to deal with the climate crisis, we need to phase out fossil fuels fast.

“Sixty per cent of total energy use across the country, including transport and industry still comes from fossil fuels.

“To cut carbon emissions, we need to scale up public transport, walking and cycling options, and rethink how we design our towns and cities to reduce car dependence overall.

“Electrifying the remaining vehicle fleet is just one part of a broader transition to cleaner, more accessible transport that works for people and the planet.”