Many electric cars are expected to need a replacement battery after a few years. Once the emissions from producing the second battery are added in, the total CO2 from producing an electric car rises to 12.6 tonnes, compared with 5.6 tonnes for a petrol car. Disposal also produces double the emissions because of the energy consumed in recovering and recycling metals in the battery. The study also took into account carbon emitted to generate the grid electricity consumed.Oh, damn! The amount of carbon generated over the life of an electric car is over double that produced by a contemporary internal combustion engine.
Whaddya expect from coal powered vehicles?
2 comments:
This is not new-news. The Prius, first mass-produced battery car, has a two-battery "carbon life" well exceeding most modern sedans.
The biggie against the killer-wattmobiles is the state of our electric grid. If you improve the grid to handle the energy transfer required to make most of our motorfuel-driven commerce electric-driven, the "carbon footprint" involved will never pencil out vs. continuing to improve the efficiency and emissions of fuel-driven cars and trucks.
"But they're so GREEN!"
I've had this discussion many times with my ultra lib sister-in-law. I finally brow beat her husband into doing half an hour's research on teh intarwebs where he found data and studies completely upholding my position. Sis in law now drives a petrol fueled Honda Accord, Bro in law drives his ten year old F150. She is still annoyed with me for not agreeing with her and worse yet proving I was right.
Post a Comment