IELTS Writing Task 2: Technology - Advantages & Disadvantages Sample Answer

Government promotion of electric vehicles represents one of the most visible elements of transport decarbonisation policy in countries from Norway to China. The policy carries compelling environmental advantages alongside practical and social disadvantages that equitable implementation must address.

The environmental case is strong. Transport accounts for approximately 16% of global greenhouse gas emissions, with passenger vehicles responsible for the largest share. Replacing petrol and diesel vehicles with electric equivalents eliminates tailpipe emissions entirely, and as electricity grids decarbonise through renewable energy expansion, the lifetime carbon footprint of electric vehicles falls further. Countries with already-clean grids - Norway, Iceland, and increasingly the UK and Germany - achieve very significant emission reductions per vehicle switched. Electric motors are also substantially more energy-efficient than internal combustion engines, reducing energy waste across the fleet. Improved urban air quality is a further co-benefit: cities like Oslo have demonstrated measurable reductions in nitrogen oxide concentrations following high electric vehicle adoption.

The disadvantages are real and multi-dimensional. The upfront purchase price of electric vehicles remains significantly above comparable petrol models in most markets, making them inaccessible to lower-income consumers without substantial subsidies - subsidies that in some countries have disproportionately benefited wealthy buyers. Charging infrastructure is inadequate in rural and lower-income urban areas, creating range anxiety and practical barriers for households without off-street parking. Battery production requires mining lithium, cobalt, and nickel under conditions that raise environmental and human rights concerns in producing countries. Finally, electricity grid capacity will need significant expansion and management to absorb millions of charging vehicles simultaneously.

Government support for electric vehicle adoption is justified by its environmental necessity, but must be paired with infrastructure investment and affordability measures to avoid creating a two-tier transport system.