Assault on the Batteries?

There's an automatic assumption that electric vehicles (EVs) are a 'solution' to our environmental problems. The UK government's Climate Change Committee has warned that, unless battery 'gigafactories' (very big industrial complexes) are located in Britain, "it is unlikely that vehicle manufacturers will manufacture EVs in the UK". The independent Faraday Institution even suggests that, by 2030, France and Germany will, respectively have, 20,000 and 150,000 more EV jobs than the UK. That institution also notes that 'little' Hungary will have 30,000 more EV battery manufacturing/supply chain jobs than Great Britain. The Labour party has, consequently, pledged to build at least 3 UK gigafactories for EV battery production by 2025 (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jul/02/labour-pledges-to-create-30000-jobs-at-electric-car-battery-gigafactories ). The Labour party suggest that building the car battery gigafactories will generate at least 30,000 jobs. QED? There are, however, some problems associated with getting everyone in the UK to replace their petrol/diesel-fuelled cars with an EV. The first, and most obvious, is that all these new EVs will have bodies. Vehicle bodies both take up materials and their manufacture creates emissions. Recycling wouldn't be an easy solution. Secondly, the recharging systems for the EV batteries, would have to be very extensive (even in rural areas) and reliable. Thirdly, manufacturing EV batteries, utilises a number of increasingly rare and expensive materials (like nickel) that have to be mined. Mining generates 'greenhouse gas' emissions. Fourthly, the tyres and braking systems of EV's produce microplastics. These contaminate our environments and our bodies. It would, perhaps, be better to a) reduce the need for some types of travel (e.g. commuting) and b) encourage the use of public transport? Public transport can, however, only become an attractive alternative if it is a) much cheaper and b) more extensive and reliable, than at present. EVs should not, however, be considered the only option for dealing with our transport needs.