EV AND CLEANTECH PULSE - The Rise and Fall of Electric Vehicle Radiation Fears

China's Breakthrough in Thorium-Powered Nuclear Reactor Operation in the Gobi Desert BYD Keeps Delivering on Tesla’s Unkept Promises China’s Solar Capacity Installations Grew Rapidly in 2024 The Rise and Fall of Electric Vehicle Radiation Fears #EV, #cleantech, #nuclearenergy, #solarpower, #Tesla, #BYD, #radiationfears

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Welcome to Innovation Pulse, your quick no-nonsense update on the latest in clean tech and EVs.

(00:10):
First, we will cover the latest news. China's thorium reactor hits full power,
BYD outshines Tesla with affordable vehicles, and China expands solar capacity to $880G
by 2024. After this, we'll dive deep into the fascinating journey from EMF fears to

(00:31):
acceptance in the world of electric vehicles. Months after satellites detected a nuclear fusion
facility in China's Sichuan province, China's nuclear industry has made significant strides
in fission technology. Researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences reported their
thorium-powered reactor in the Gobi Desert achieved full power operation, and an unprecedented

(00:56):
reloading while powered up. This is a major milestone as thorium is a safer, less weaponizable
alternative to uranium. Thorium-based fuels are not suitable for making explosive devices,
says the World Nuclear Association. The reactor is a 2 megawatt unit using molten salt,
which lowers meltdown risks compared to water-based systems. Unlike traditional reactors,

(01:22):
molten salt reactors, MSRs freeze upon breach, reducing risks. Though MSRs date back to the
1940s in the US, they were abandoned in favor of uranium. China's team builds on this research,
likening their progress to a tortoise seizing its chance.
Join us as we discover the success behind BYD's innovations. Tesla has faced criticism for

(01:50):
not fulfilling its promises, like the affordable $25,000 car and maintaining a 50% growth rate.
Despite claims of a budget-friendly Model 3 and a stripped-down Model Y, these remain
unfulfilled. Meanwhile, BYD has delivered affordable vehicles, such as the Seagull,

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priced at $7,800, and the Han-L EV under $30,000. BYD's sales have skyrocketed,
achieving a 118% growth rate from 2020 to 2023, surpassing expectations.
Unlike Tesla, which hasn't fully realized its autonomous driving goals, BYD demonstrated

(02:33):
a 7,000-kilometer driverless trip. In sports cars, BYD's U9 is on the road,
while Tesla's Roadster remains undelivered. BYD also plans an impressive sports car under the
Denza brand. While Tesla's Semi-Truck hasn't mass-produced, BYD continues expanding its

(02:54):
commercial vehicle line with new models like the Q3 Semi.
China's solar capacity saw significant growth in 2024, reaching over 880 GW,
surpassing any other nation. The country installed 277 GW of utility-scale solar in 2024 alone,

(03:18):
more than twice the 121 GW added in the United States during the same period.
With more than 720 GW of solar projects in various stages of development,
China's solar sector is set for continued expansion. The Kabuki Desert in Inner Mongolia
is a focal point, hosting the largest planned solar project known as the Great Solar Wall,

(03:44):
aiming for 100 GW by 2030. This project spans over 250 miles and includes major components like
the Inner Mongolia Kabuki Desert, North and South Megabase. Additional projects like the
Ordo's Desert Control and Xinjiang Sichuan Power Export Solar Farms are planned, each with an 8.5

(04:07):
GW capacity. And now, pivot our discussion towards the main clean tech topic.
Hello and welcome to Innovation Pulse. I'm Donna and joining me is my co-host and favorite tech
guru, Yakov Lasker. Hi Donna, hi everyone, it's great to be here. Today we have a fascinating topic,

(04:34):
the rise and fall of a very specific fear about electric vehicles. Remember when people were worried
about radiation from electric cars? Right, we're talking about electromagnetic fields,
or EMFs, from EVs. There was a time not too long ago when folks wondered if driving a hybrid or
electric car could hurt their health. Some were even nervous it might increase cancer risk. It sounds

(04:58):
kind of wild now, but it was a big concern back in the early days of EVs. Exactly, at one point,
EMF exposure was a hot topic on blogs and forums for hybrid and early EV adopters,
but these days you hardly hear a peep about it. So how did those fears start and how did they fade
away over time? Let's rewind to the mid-2000s and early 2010s, the early days of the Toyota Prius

(05:23):
and the first electric cars. People were excited about using less gas, but suddenly there was this
new worry. Could the electromagnetic fields from the car's battery and motor be dangerous?
The term flying around was ELF radiation, meaning extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields.
It sounds scary, like something invisible that could sneak up on you. Since 2001,

(05:49):
the World Health Organization's cancer research arm had classified low-frequency magnetic fields as
possibly carcinogenic. So when electric cars came along, some folks thought,
am I sitting in a giant magnetic field every time I drive? I remember that. Some early adopters were
genuinely spooked. One Prius owner back in 2013 wrote on a forum, I have a five-year-old sitting

(06:13):
right on top of the battery in the back seat. Am I exposing my child to disturbing levels of EMF?
What if 10, 20 years down the line, scientists start saying, uh, oops?
And that was a common fear. That daily exposure to EMFs in the car might, over years,
increase the risk of cancer or other health problems. People knew they were essentially

(06:36):
sitting on a big battery and lots of electrical wiring, and it was a new experience.
It didn't help that some media stories and blogs were stoking the worry with alarming titles like
hybrid and electric cars may be cancer-causing, and some tech bloggers would toss around anecdotes
about feeling dizzy in a Tesla, or they'd carry an EMF meter in their car to measure radiation

(06:58):
levels. There were even scientists weighing in on opposite sides. For the average person,
that was really confusing. How is a non-engineer supposed to know whether the EMF from an electric
motor is dangerous or just like the harmless buzz from your household appliances?
So what changed? How did we go from headline-grabbing fears to calm acceptance on this issue?

(07:21):
The short answer, research and transparency. Scientists and engineers tackled the question
head-on. They measured the actual EMF levels in hybrids and EVs, and compared them to established
safety limits. I remember around 2014 news stories came out basically saying,
relax, it's not an issue. One headline that stuck with me was experts dismiss fears that

(07:45):
driving electric cars could cause cancer. That was based on new research findings that really took
the wind out of the EMF scare. Right. One pivotal study in the EU was incredibly comprehensive.
Researchers from seven countries tested a bunch of cars, not just electrics, but also hydrogen,
gasoline and diesel cars. They wanted to see if the EVs had higher electromagnetic fields inside

(08:12):
than regular cars. And if any came close to the recommended exposure limits, and what did they
find? In a nutshell, no car, electric or otherwise exceeded the international safety limits for EMF.
In fact, the electric cars were well below those limits. The highest readings in an EV,
typically down near the floor by the battery or motor during heavy acceleration, were still less

(08:38):
than 20% of the limit that ICN-RP recommends for public exposure. At head level, the exposure was
tiny under 2% of that limit. Wow, only 20% of the limit at worst? That's a huge safety margin.
Exactly. And interestingly, they found that even conventional gasoline cars have some EMF,

(08:59):
around 10% of the limit from things like the alternator and other electronics. So an electric
car at 20% versus a regular car at 10% neither is anywhere near a dangerous level. And there's
not a big difference between them. That's reassuring. It means driving an EV isn't exposing you to
anything extreme at all. Exactly right. After that study, the consensus started to form that

(09:23):
EMFs from EVs are not a health hazard. Kenneth Foster, a bioengineering professor who looked at
this issue, stated he would not consider the magnetic fields in electric and hybrid vehicles to
be a health concern, given that measurements showed levels well below the international guidelines.
He and other scientists also pointed out that we encounter similar or stronger magnetic fields in

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many everyday situations, riding in a train or subway or using an electric shaver or hair dryer.
That really puts it in perspective. If taking a metro to work or blow drying my hair isn't
considered a cancer risk, then sitting in a Nissan Leaf shouldn't be either. Organizations
like the World Health Organization also clarified that the everyday EMF levels in homes and EVs

(10:12):
are far below the levels known to cause any biological effect. And the German Federal Office
for Radiation Protection came to the same conclusion, stating that passengers in electric cars aren't
endangered by the electric or magnetic fields as long as the cars meet the standard guidelines,
which they do. All of this science and these official statements went a long way to calm people

(10:35):
down. By the late 2010s, the narrative had shifted from are EVs the next health nightmare,
to EMFs from EVs pose no significant risk. It's worth noting that automakers themselves took steps
to address EMF concerns in their vehicle designs. Even though the levels were found to be low,

(10:55):
car manufacturers weren't complacent. They actively engineer EVs to minimize passenger exposure inside
the cabin. What kind of design changes are we talking about? For one, how they run the high
voltage cables. The trick is to arrange cables so they don't create big magnetic fields.
They use twisted pair configurations for DC cables and tightly bundle the three-phase AC cables,

(11:20):
so the magnetic fields cancel each other out. They also route cables as far away from occupants as
practical and add shielding if a cable must pass near a seat. What about the big components like
the battery and motor? The battery pack is usually placed either under the floor or in the back.
Often enclosed in a metal housing. If it's very close to the passenger area, engineers will put a

(11:44):
steel plate or other shielding between the battery and the cabin. And the motor, inverter, is typically
mounted at one end of the car and encased in metal. All these measures cut down the EMFs that reach
the inside of the car. So why is this issue so hushed now compared to 10 or 15 years ago?
I'd say it's a combination of reassuring evidence, improved design, and shifting priorities.

(12:09):
First, multiple studies and expert reviews have consistently shown that EMF levels in EVs are
safe. Second, time passed and nothing bad happened. Millions of electric and hybrid cars have been
on the road for years, with no credible reports of EV drivers having higher cancer rates.
Meanwhile, other concerns stole the spotlight in the EV conversation. Range anxiety, charging

(12:35):
infrastructure, and environmental questions about battery materials. If you browse EV forums today,
you'll hear tons about software updates and battery longevity, but almost nothing about
electromagnetic fields. The overwhelming scientific consensus now is that EMF emissions from EVs are
highly unlikely to pose any health risk to occupants. Regulators set exposure guidelines,

(12:59):
automakers comply with them, and the result is that the EMF from your car is just another
background element of modern life, like the Wi-Fi in your house or the electric motor in your fridge.
It's pretty satisfying to see a fear go from headline grabbing to essentially solved.
The fear of EV radiation largely fizzled out as people learned the facts.

(13:22):
The story of EMF fears in electric vehicles is a great example of how science and engineering
can address public concerns. We started with a reasonable question. Is this new technology
safe for my health? And through diligent research, we got a clear answer. Yes, it is safe. The highest

(13:42):
EMF levels in EVs are well below harmful limits, and driving your electric car isn't going to
give you cancer. The key takeaway is that early fears were proven unwarranted. Public perception
evolved from worry to acceptance once people understood that the electromagnetic fields in
EVs are minimal and comparable to everyday appliances. So today, when we discuss electric cars,

(14:08):
it's about how to make them more affordable, how to charge them faster, how to source their
materials ethically. Not about EMF. The EV radiation scare has essentially been put to rest.
Well, that wraps up today's episode of Innovation Pulse. Thanks for tuning in.
We've enjoyed chatting about EMFs and EVs. A little slice of tech history where science quelled

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fear. Stay curious, stay informed, and join us next time for another dive into the cutting edge
of innovation. Until then, drive safe and take care. Bye, everyone.