Clean Rides, Healthy Lives: The Impact of Electric Vehicle Adoption on Air Quality and Infant Health

Cavit Baran, Janet Currie, Bahadir Dursun and Erdal Tekin

No 34278, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: This paper provides the first nationwide U.S. evidence on the effects of electric vehicle (EV) adoption on air quality and child health. Using county-level data from 2010–2021, we link EV registrations to air pollution, birth outcomes, and emergency department visits. Endogenous adoption is addressed using two-way fixed effects and an instrumental variables strategy exploiting the rollout of federally designated Alternative Fuel Corridors. Greater EV adoption significantly lowers nitrogen dioxide and improves infant and child health, reducing very low birth weight, prematurity, and asthma-related emergency visits. The largest health gains occur in high-pollution areas and exceed $1.2–$4.0 billion annually.

JEL-codes: I14 I18 Q53 R38 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025-09
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dem, nep-ene, nep-env, nep-hea and nep-tre
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