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Someone Did Something Which Showed Something Somewhere

Patranus

Patranus

Diamond Member
A Chinese study found electric vehicles in China are creating a bigger dent in the environment than gas-burning vehicles.

While electric car sales now outnumber those of conventional gas vehicles two-to-one in China, fine-particle pollution has increased as the “green” cars’ popularity has increased.

Researchers found that generating the electricity used to power an electric car releases more pollution into the atmosphere than burning gasoline to drive. Particulate matter is a fossil-fuel byproduct that includes acids, dust, soil, organic chemicals and metals. The impact an electric car has on the environment is similar to that of a diesel bus, according to the study.
Click to expand...
http://dailycaller.com/2012/02/15/air-quality-study-electric-cars-out-pollute-gas-engines/

Unless nuclear is more widely adopted there is really no benefit to the electric car.
 
Where's the link to the study? Oh that's right, there is none, it's the daily caller. Also look at the pollution regulations for China's coal electric plants, oh that's right, they probably have few if any.

Not valid here.
 
I would never put much stock in news article about anything scientific. But it shouldn't surprise anyone that if you are getting electricity form a dirty source that you aren't helping the environment. I mean heck you could power an electric car from a gas generator... Not to mention the battery.
 
There is another joker in the deck we somewhat ignore, even if point granted, a hybrid car
must always always generate more pollution to get the electrical energy to power it. Unless that electrical power comes from nuclear energy or solar power.

But still a conventional gasoline motor generates more pollution than a coal powered powered plant. And then the calculus changes in the type of commute. Because if the hybrid car can change to solely electrical power in miles of stop and go slow speed travel with regenerative braking while the gas engine is off, energy efficient driving is possible. My problem in the USA is that stop and go driving so does not describe my typical commute.
 
soundforbjt said:
Where's the link to the study? Oh that's right, there is none, it's the daily caller. Also look at the pollution regulations for China's coal electric plants, oh that's right, they probably have few if any.
Click to expand...

The point is that the stored potential energy needed to power the electric cars has to come from somewhere. If it comes from the burning of fossil fuels, then greenhouse gases are still being emitted. From an energy standpoint it's really not better than just burning the fossil fuel in the vehicle itself.

Electric cars will really only make a big impact when their power comes from nuclear, wind, or solar energy.

That having been said, I think that gasoline-electric hybrid cars are a great idea.
 
well, most of the northwest is powered by hydro electric... So, I don't think your study included that area. Besides, not ALL electric cars are "GREEN" as say the prirus that has regenerative brakes and aerodynamics to give the car 60+ MPG.

So, I'd like to see how the average gas guzzler car that gets 30MPG is going to compete with that.

Even if you had a coal fired plant on the grid twice the MPG's would still pollute less. But I drive a toyota echo and it's currently getting me 42MPG's on the freeway. Love it! 10K for an echo vs 23K for a hybrid. Hmmm, I don't think I'll save enough gas $ to justify the cost difference. Unless gas goes above 10 bucks a gallon.

Yes I know your not plugging your hybrid into the grid. I know a pure electric car are suppose to get better millage than a hybrid. I just don't know that much about them.
 
Anybody factor in the inefficiency of gas engines? As far as I know, coal fired power plants are not known for massive amounts of waste heat and electric motors are far more efficient than gas engines. So a true comparison would be the effective energy of gasoline for propulsion compared to the electrical equivalent.

China is a poor example for comparison to the U.S. in this situation because of its poor pollution control.

note: The full study in the link requires a paid subscription.
 
soundforbjt said:
Where's the link to the study? Oh that's right, there is none, it's the daily caller. Also look at the pollution regulations for China's coal electric plants, oh that's right, they probably have few if any.

Not valid here.
Click to expand...

About half of our electricity still comes coal, so electric power cars are likely coal powered here as well.
 
Its easier to replace/retrofit a relative handful of power plants than it is to replace the millions of million of ICE vehicles out there.
 
charrison said:
About half of our electricity still comes coal, so electric power cars are likely coal powered here as well.
Click to expand...


That would mean about half are coal powered.

Which would also mean that about half our computers and every other electrical appliances we use are coal powered.
 
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