The mining of the rare-earth elements needed to make the motors and batteries for electric/hybrid cars causes far more damage to the environment than the “benefits” of these cars. Mining rare-earth elements in the U.S. ceased long ago due to massive environmental damage. Now rare-earth elements are mined in China where the practice has caused untold environmental damage. Electric/hybrid vehicles have been successfully marketed as environmentally friendly cars that are virtuous to drive. If you fell for the marketing and seek to project social virtue by driving an electric/hybrid car, you have fallen prey to marketers that sold you virtue, not environmentally sound vehicles.

Jeff McCammack

Wailuku