In March 2011, Japan recorded its most powerful earthquake – a magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami that claimed nearly 20 000 lives in the Tōhoku region. It remains to this day the fourth most powerful earthquake in the world. One of the biggest concerns following the earthquake was the effect it would have on several nearby nuclear power stations. The three closest nuclear power plants were immediately shut down, and with the total destruction of the infrastructure, the region was left stranded and in a blackout. This nuclear emergency, compounded with the already grave humanitarian crisis, raised the number of displaced residents leaving Tōhoku with a quarter million acutely vulnerable refugees.
But in the midst of this crisis came an important revelation of the role of electric cars in our modern society. To alleviate the humanitarian crisis, Nissan sent a fleet of 66 Nissan Leafs to the areas most affected by the earthquake and tsunami. Another Japanese automaker, Mitsubishi, also donated 89 Mitsubishi i-MiEVs to be dispatched in the region. These small all-electric vehicles do not have the heroic demeanour of a large Jeep or a GMC Hummer and might not be what you would expect rolling on the rubble of a disaster-struck area. Nevertheless, it was these little hatchbacks that came to the rescue, and they were truly a headlight of hope to the people of Tōhoku. They were used to transport doctors and medical supplies to the victims of the disaster and to deliver food, water and electric power to the 23 refugee camps that had sprung in the aftermath.
The fact of the matter is that following such devastations, electric power generation can be restored within days, while the petroleum supply chain is much more difficult and slower to restore. In Tōhoku, there were severe fuel shortages for several weeks following the earthquake, and relief could not have reached the disaster-struck areas on time if not for electric vehicle fleets.
Furthermore, due to the advent of bi-directional charging, electric vehicles not only run on electricity but can also double as mobile electric generators. This is because current can flow in both directions: to the battery during charging or out of the battery to power external devices, homes, medical clinics, etc. A charged Nissan Leaf, for example, has enough stored electric energy to power an American house for a day. When this stored energy is prioritized for essential needs and services, a single dispatched Nissan Leaf can save many lives in times of crisis.
The 2011 Tōhoku earthquake should serve as a lesson to the rest of the world on the benefits of switching from gas to electric. Canada, where blizzards and power outages are common, is a prime example of how electric vehicles with bi-directional charging can safely heat homes during harsh winters without the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. For many skeptics, electric vehicles are simply expensive and impractical, but when we look at the role they could have in our modern society, we realize that they are not merely an alternative but a necessity.
