The 2025 SEAS Dean’s Dialogue Panel will explore the sustainability of electric vehicles (EVs) by discussing their environmental costs and benefits. Across the world, policymakers and car manufacturers are championing EVs as a critical solution to reducing oil consumption and combating climate change. But are EVs truly as eco-friendly as they claim to be? This panel will delve into the complex realities of EV sustainability, examining the environmental impacts of electricity production, the extraction of raw materials, and the recyclability of EV components. By presenting opposing viewpoints, the discussion aims to illuminate the nuances of this critical issue and inspire a deeper understanding of EVs' role in shaping an equitable and sustainable future.
Open to all of SEAS

Moderator
Le Xie
Gordon McKay Professor of Electrical Engineering

Panelists
Elaine Buckberg
Senior Fellow at Harvard University’s Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability

Martin Bazant
E.G. Roos (1944) Professor of Chemical Engineering

Na Li
Winokur Family Professor of Electrical Engineering and Applied Mathematics