Felt the rage against EVs

[DHuff]

Does anyone get the, "You know electric cars actually pollute MORE than a gas engine does."

That is always the one that gets me.

It doesn't even work out if you start going down the road with all of that.

First off: solar panels.

Second off: The energy it takes to make your food that powers you when you ride a bicycle is more than the energy it takes to make an electricity from nonrenewable sources.

I get so many of the uneducated mouthpiece myths spit at me. It is ridiculous.

 

[bwilson4web]

Does anyone get the, "You know electric cars actually pollute MORE than a gas engine does."

That is always the one that gets me.
. . .

Closer inspection reveals they are using out of date metrics when 'coal was king.' Tell them that the "U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), reports:

Source: http://www.eia.gov

Natural gas and renewable are replacing both clean and dirty coal. Coal, clean or dirty, is the problem and it costs too much.

Bob Wilson

 

[i3an]

Yup, that canard is bogus nationwide, and more so depending on where you live (and if you have solar). Here in California I doubt that 1% of grid electricity comes from coal, but in Trump country it is more prevalent. Plus, of course, BMW touts its low carbon manufacturing of the i-series, and a complete lifecycle CO2 accounting comes out heavily in favor of of even traditional EVs.

 

[Lithiumman]

If people challenge me about the EV polluting more than conventional cars, I used to provided the evidence and data, much of it from automotive manufacturers themselves. But I found those that come to the conversation with such ill informed opinions don't listen so now I just say that the problem lies with DIRTY COAL, not the EV. Then they don't want to talk about it any more !! Funny about that!

I run a 5kW solar array that more than offsets the i3 energy consumption. Hence I have put number plate surrounds on my car saying "SOLARCHARGED - ZERO EMISSIONS". I think it is a good idea to start the conversation about solar charging , as most people don't realise how easy it is to travel for free, fore ever, from sunlight.

 

[jadnashuanh]

There are numerous areas in the USA that get reliable solar, and open land that could support monster solar arrays, but the infrastructure to get that power where it is needed does not exist. THen, while technology is improving, storing enough energy to handle times when the sun doesn't shine is still expensive and not as efficient as desired.

 

[i3Alan]

Does anyone get the, "You know electric cars actually pollute MORE than a gas engine does."

Electric cars powered from coal do pollute more than gas cars, ONLY IF you ignore the electricity used to refine the gasoline. Including the electricity used in the refining blows this argument up totally.

 

[DHuff]

Electric cars powered from coal do pollute more than gas cars, ONLY IF you ignore the electricity used to refine the gasoline. Including the electricity used in the refining blows this argument up totally.

I am with you there. But like you say that logic does not hold water. You have to stop arbitrarily in the energy making process.

And an electric car has the capability to be powered by clean solar, even if the electricity in the area comes from coal.

Pretty sure that gasoline will never come from the sun. But if the electricity used to make the gas came from solar, the gas engine would certainly release carbon into the atmosphere.

Then there is the issue of gas not being renewable (But that is a separate issue from pollution).

 

[Schnort]

I am with you there. But like you say that logic does not hold water. You have to stop arbitrarily in the energy making process.

And an electric car has the capability to be powered by clean solar, even if the electricity in the area comes from coal.

This is true, but making batteries isn't without its own environmental impact

Pretty sure that gasoline will never come from the sun. But if the electricity used to make the gas came from solar, the gas engine would certainly release carbon into the atmosphere.

If "gasoline" is made from solar power, it will almost certainly use carbon from the air (gasoline is a hydrocarbon, afterall), so it would be carbon neutral if it released the carbon back into the air.

 

[jadnashuanh]

Ultimately, gasoline did come from solar, but plants many millions of years old! And we're using it faster than it is being made.

OF the components of our i3's, the batteries are the potential worst polluters, but then, an ICE will have a lead-acid battery, which is pretty nasty in and of itself. Some places mandate recycling a car (Germany is pretty strong on that), so that certainly helps, and yes, most of the lead in a car battery does end up being recycled, but the chemicals are pretty nasty.

 

[CanisLupus]

Some people are in denial about what is really a significant change that is underway . Developments in battery technology will tip the scale . Eventually it will become evident that EVs are more energy efficient and have lower maintenance that ICE vehicles . It will become clear that EVs have just as much power or maybe even more than ICE vehicles . People will switch because they decide that they want to . I doubt that any driver today would ever be forced to switch . Fossil fuels will be a available for a long time to come . The companies that supply those fossil fuels want to get as much as they can for as long as they can , that's understood . Maybe many of us consider it a factor in our choice to not burn fuel for energy . Others might eventually choose EV because of it's value/cost .

This change is underway and this time it won't be stopped by anyone .