could mitigate these concerns, as well as the development and increased deployment of new batteries that last longer and hold more charge. Additionally, argues Lambert, the EV battery recycling industry has potential to grow over the coming years, and new cars could be built with recycled metals.
, transitioning to EVs and reducing sprawl aren’t mutually exclusive. He argues that, in addition to making suburbia denser through, for example, changes in housing policy and the development of commuter rail, “we should take advantage of the EV revolution to add electrified buses, e-bikes, and other alternative modes of transportation to make suburbs easier to get around.”
Even with more transportation options, he notes there will still be a lot of cars—car ownership is high even in densely-populated, mass transit-rich nations such as Japan and the Netherlands. Switching from gas-guzzling to electrified transport not only makes sense, it’s inevitable, he says. “I tell people to go drive one and see for themselves,” says Lambert. “Do the math. And let your logic take over. When you do, you’ll always end up with electric vehicles. It's the more logical solution every time.”