Episode 28: The Future May Be Electric
Sitting in the familiar rush hour traffic of Accra, my eyes caught the sight of thick black smoke billowing from the exhaust pipe of the rickety taxi in front of me. The fumes clouded the air, momentarily obscuring my view. I instinctively rolled up my window and glanced in the rearview mirror. Kwesi, an 8-year-old boy sitting in the back of my car, was peering out the window with a puzzled expression.
“Mummy,” he began, tugging at the sleeve of his mother’s blouse, “why is there so much smoke coming from that car in front of us?”
His mother, a gentle-looking woman with a kind smile, turned to look out the window. I could tell she wasn’t entirely surprised by his question. Kids are curious like that. Always asking why.
“That’s because of the car’s engine, Kwesi,” she said, her voice soft but clear. “It’s burning something called fuel, which is making that smoke.”
Kwesi scrunched up his face. “Fuel? Like the fuel you put in our car?”
His mother nodded. “Yes, exactly. But not all cars burn fuel the same way. Some cars, like that one, are older, and when they burn fuel, they create more smoke, which isn’t good for the air we breathe.”
I couldn’t help but smile as I listened. Kids these days are so inquisitive. I’ve always enjoyed hearing the conversations between parents and children in the back of my car. They remind me of my nephews and nieces, always asking one question after another.
Kwesi wasn’t done with his questions, of course. “But why do we need to burn fuel at all? Can’t we use something else that doesn’t make smoke?”
His mother chuckled softly. “That’s a great question, Kwesi. Right now, most cars need fuel because their engines work by burning something called fossil fuels. These are things like petrol or diesel, which come from oil. But the problem is, when we burn them, they release gases into the air that can harm the environment.”
“Fossil fuels?” Kwesi repeated, clearly trying to wrap his young mind around the concept. “Are they like fossils in the ground?”
I glanced again in the rearview mirror, amused by how naturally he made that connection. His mother nodded.
“Yes, exactly! Fossil fuels are made from the remains of ancient plants and animals that lived millions of years ago. Over a long, long time, those remains turned into oil, coal, and natural gas deep underground. When we pump it out of the earth and burn it in our cars, it powers the engine but also causes pollution.”
Kwesi’s eyes widened as he absorbed the information. “So, that smoke is because we’re burning old plants and animals?”
“That’s right, my love,” his mother said. “And that smoke contains gases like carbon dioxide, which makes the air dirty and can cause problems for the environment.”
I could see Kwesi frowning now, clearly bothered by the thought of it. “But that’s not fair! Why do we use it if it’s bad?”
His mother sighed, her face briefly showing the weight of the world she had to explain. “Well, for a long time, people didn’t know how harmful burning fossil fuels was. It helped people move faster, build cities, and do a lot of amazing things. But now we know better. We know that pollution from burning these fuels is making the air harder to breathe and contributing to something called climate change.”
Kwesi looked confused again. “What’s climate change?”
As we stopped at a traffic light, I caught the eye of his mother in the mirror. She smiled at me and then turned her attention back to her son. “Climate change is what happens when the Earth gets warmer because of all the pollution we’re putting into the air.
The gases trap heat from the sun, kind of like when you’re under a blanket and it gets warmer and warmer. Except, instead of keeping us cozy, it’s making the planet too hot in some places, and it’s changing the weather in ways that can be dangerous.”
Kwesi looked out the window, deep in thought. “So the smoke from cars makes the Earth hotter?”
“Yes,” his mother replied, “and not just from cars, but from factories, airplanes, and lots of other things we use every day that rely on fossil fuels.”
The light turned green, and we continued our journey. Kwesi seemed quiet for a moment, and I wondered if maybe he was done with his questions. But, like any curious child, he wasn’t finished just yet.
“So… what can we do to stop it?” he asked, his voice filled with determination.
His mother’s face softened, and I could tell she was proud of her son’s thoughtfulness. “Well, we can all help by using less energy and finding better ways to power the things we need, like cars that don’t make smoke at all.”
Kwesi’s eyes lit up. “Cars that don’t make smoke? How?”
I decided to chime in for the first time. “He’s talking about electric vehicles, isn’t he?” I said, glancing back at his mother with a smile.
She nodded gratefully. “Yes, exactly. Electric cars, or EVs, don’t use fossil fuels. Instead, they run on electricity, which can be made in ways that don’t pollute the air.”
Kwesi leaned forward in his seat, clearly intrigued. “How do they work?”
“Well,” his mother said, taking over again, “instead of burning fuel, electric cars use batteries to store energy. It’s kind of like the way your toys at home use batteries, but much, much bigger. And when the car runs, it doesn’t make any smoke at all.”
Kwesi seemed amazed by this. “Wow! So if everyone had electric cars, there wouldn’t be any smoke?”
“That’s right,” his mother said. “If more people used electric cars, we could reduce the amount of pollution in the air. But it’s not just about the cars. We also need to make sure that the electricity we use to power those cars comes from clean sources, like the sun, wind, or water, instead of burning coal or oil.”
I watched as Kwesi’s eyes darted around, probably imagining a world with no smoky cars. “Are there electric cars here?” he asked.
His mother nodded. “Yes, but not a lot yet. They’re still new in places like Ghana, but more and more people are starting to get them. And there are also people working to build places where these cars can charge, just like how you need to charge your tablet when the battery is low.”
I thought about the company I had just heard about, Charge Express, that was working on exactly that. It was an exciting time for Ghana, for sure.
Kwesi wasn’t done just yet, though. “But Mummy, what about all the other cars? Can’t we just stop using them and get electric ones instead?”
His mother smiled sadly. “It’s not that easy, Kwesi. Many people can’t afford to buy a new car, especially an electric one. They’re still more expensive right now. And we also have to figure out how to make enough charging stations so that everyone can use them. But people are working on it, and maybe by the time you’re grown up, electric cars will be everywhere.”
Kwesi’s face brightened at the thought. “I want to drive an electric car when I’m older. That way, I won’t make any smoke.”
His mother laughed, stroking his hair. “I think that’s a great idea, Kwesi. And by then, who knows what other amazing inventions there will be to help the Earth.”
Hello, my name is Dede Nyansapo. I am an entrepreneur who also participates in Accra’s burgeoning gig economy as a Dede. My love for meeting fascinating people and my curiosity about how they think usually places me in the midst of some very entertaining conversations. Invariably, these conversations lead to some key learnings that may be useful to anyone on their business journey.
