Why Are Electric Cars Bad For The Environment
ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT OPINION BRIEF
Are electric cars actually bad for the environment?
New research suggests that you have to drive an electric car a long, long way for it to be greener than a gas-guzzling vehicle
POSTED ON JUNE 14, 2011, AT 10:30 AM
A hybrid car is plugged into a charging station in San Francisco, Calif.: Electric cars may have bigger carbon footprints than their gas-guzzling competitors, according to a new study. Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty ImagesSEE ALL 21 PHOTOS
Best Opinion: Hot Air, Aftermarket Leads, Auto 123
Production of electric cars is speeding up, as Ford prepares tointroduce its C-Max Energi next year to compete with General Motors' much-hyped Chevrolet Volt. But a new British study suggests that electric vehicles might not be as green as environmentalists think. Because of pollution from the factories that make batteries, an electric car has a bigger carbon footprint than a gas-burning vehicles until it's traveled 80,000 miles, according to the research, which was financed by the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership. Does this mean electric cars aren't good for the planet after all? …show more content…
Yes, these vehicles are bad for the environment: Electric cars just aren't "a green option," says Ed Morrissey at Hot Air.
"Not only do electric vehicles produce just as much carbon in their overall cycle as internal-combustion engines, the need to replace the batteries actually makes them less green than current technology." If we want a cleaner way to get around, "the answer is natural gas, not electric
vehicles."
"Electric cars are not so green after all?"
Electric cars aren't perfect, but they're our best bet: It's true that electric cars create more carbon emissions than standard cars during production, says Aftermarket Leads. Making batteries takes a lot of energy, and EVs require several batteries, while gas-powered vehicles have just one. But, as the study shows, electric and hybrid vehicles "still have lower carbon footprints than normal cars" over the long haul, so driving them will do the Earth some good.
"Electric vehicles have lower carbon footprints than normal cars"
We must improve the production process: Manufacturers will point to the lifetime carbon reduction to silence their critics, says Auto 123, but the study is nothing for anyone to celebrate. Nearly half the pollution from an electric car over its full life comes at the factory, before the vehicle has driven a single mile. "Quite a few improvements need to be made for green vehicles to become truly green."
"Hybrid and EV production pollutes more than gas cars, but..."
Miletus Jones
Current events article 2
6-11-2012
Dr. Shaowen Xu In this article the argument is made that hybrid vehicles may not be as good for the environment as we may think. Due to the pollution expelled into the environment by the factories that are producing the batteries for these cars, there “carbon footprint” is quite large. This document also goes on to say that when compared to the cycle of an internal combustion engine these vehicles actually put off more pollution into the environment. With this being said electric vehicles are not all bad, it just takes a longer time to reap the benefits associated with these vehicles. Because there is so much pollution emitted during production of these vehicles these cars must travel far more miles than standard vehicles to make a positive improvement on the environment. Overall, I feel that as far as energy conservation goes, electric vehicles are not worth it. The research and development of these vehicles has not matured enough to mass produce these vehicles. Until advancements in battery manufacturing and technology are made I think production of these vehicles should cease. When these advancements have been made I think electric vehicles should be produced again and would be overall a great help to our environmental problems.
Are electric cars actually bad for the environment?
New research suggests that you have to drive an electric car a long, long way for it to be greener than a gas-guzzling vehicle
POSTED ON JUNE 14, 2011, AT 10:30 AM
A hybrid car is plugged into a charging station in San Francisco, Calif.: Electric cars may have bigger carbon footprints than their gas-guzzling competitors, according to a new study. Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty ImagesSEE ALL 21 PHOTOS
Best Opinion: Hot Air, Aftermarket Leads, Auto 123
Production of electric cars is speeding up, as Ford prepares tointroduce its C-Max Energi next year to compete with General Motors' much-hyped Chevrolet Volt. But a new British study suggests that electric vehicles might not be as green as environmentalists think. Because of pollution from the factories that make batteries, an electric car has a bigger carbon footprint than a gas-burning vehicles until it's traveled 80,000 miles, according to the research, which was financed by the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership. Does this mean electric cars aren't good for the planet after all? …show more content…
Yes, these vehicles are bad for the environment: Electric cars just aren't "a green option," says Ed Morrissey at Hot Air.
"Not only do electric vehicles produce just as much carbon in their overall cycle as internal-combustion engines, the need to replace the batteries actually makes them less green than current technology." If we want a cleaner way to get around, "the answer is natural gas, not electric
vehicles."
"Electric cars are not so green after all?"
Electric cars aren't perfect, but they're our best bet: It's true that electric cars create more carbon emissions than standard cars during production, says Aftermarket Leads. Making batteries takes a lot of energy, and EVs require several batteries, while gas-powered vehicles have just one. But, as the study shows, electric and hybrid vehicles "still have lower carbon footprints than normal cars" over the long haul, so driving them will do the Earth some good.
"Electric vehicles have lower carbon footprints than normal cars"
We must improve the production process: Manufacturers will point to the lifetime carbon reduction to silence their critics, says Auto 123, but the study is nothing for anyone to celebrate. Nearly half the pollution from an electric car over its full life comes at the factory, before the vehicle has driven a single mile. "Quite a few improvements need to be made for green vehicles to become truly green."
"Hybrid and EV production pollutes more than gas cars, but..."
Miletus Jones
Current events article 2
6-11-2012
Dr. Shaowen Xu In this article the argument is made that hybrid vehicles may not be as good for the environment as we may think. Due to the pollution expelled into the environment by the factories that are producing the batteries for these cars, there “carbon footprint” is quite large. This document also goes on to say that when compared to the cycle of an internal combustion engine these vehicles actually put off more pollution into the environment. With this being said electric vehicles are not all bad, it just takes a longer time to reap the benefits associated with these vehicles. Because there is so much pollution emitted during production of these vehicles these cars must travel far more miles than standard vehicles to make a positive improvement on the environment. Overall, I feel that as far as energy conservation goes, electric vehicles are not worth it. The research and development of these vehicles has not matured enough to mass produce these vehicles. Until advancements in battery manufacturing and technology are made I think production of these vehicles should cease. When these advancements have been made I think electric vehicles should be produced again and would be overall a great help to our environmental problems.