Transportation’s True Impact: Far Worse Than Presented
When measured only by tailpipe emissions, transportation ranks as the second-largest contributor to global GHG emissions. On the left, we see humanity’s suicidal trajectory, while on the right, a green dotted line represents the path we’re supposed to follow.
But the reality is far worse than this simplified view suggests.
The Hidden Emissions of Transportation
Transportation doesn’t exist in isolation—it depends on a vast supply chain and infrastructure network with enormous embedded emissions:
- Mining, refining, and manufacturing vehicles require vast amounts of energy and resources.
- Shipping raw materials and finished vehicles worldwide adds another carbon burden, loss of habitats, and environmental destruction.
- Road construction and maintenance come with significant emissions—concrete, asphalt, and steel production are among the most polluting industrial processes.
If we account for these hidden emissions, transportation wouldn’t be the second-largest emitter—it would be the first.
The Tailpipe Fallacy: EVs Won’t Save Us (Yet)
Policymakers proudly claim that by 2030, new vehicles will no longer have tailpipes. But this narrow-sighted promise ignores the bigger picture. Replacing 1.6 billion internal combustion engine (ICE) cars with EVs will:
⚠️ Increase emissions across Industry, Shipping, and Power Generation for at least 30-50 years.
⚠️ Cause a steeper rise in emissions before any long-term reductions—likely pushing global warming beyond the point of no return.
Time to Rethink the Strategy
Waiting and hoping that current strategies will work is not a plan—it’s a gamble we cannot afford.
Instead of blindly replacing ICE cars with EVs, we need a fundamental shift in transportation design—one that reduces the size, weight, and energy demand of both vehicles and infrastructure.
That’s exactly what Nymbel delivers—a smarter, resource-efficient transport system that curbs emissions across the entire supply chain, from manufacturing to operations.