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Originally Posted by Captain Awesome
I love how people still don't realize how inefficient these "100% electric" vehicles are...
I guess some people won't realize this until after they own one how foolish the idea is.
Hint: Generating, transmittingm and storing electricity wastes a whole lot more energy and pollutes the environment much more than burning a bunch of dead dinosaurs.
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Except that gasoline isn't just sitting around in pools waiting for you to pour it into your gas tank. It takes energy to pump it out from the ground (or dig it, as the case may be), transport it, refine it, then transport it again before it reaches your gas tank.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mindz
it's the nuclear and coal plants that power the stations that provide the energy to charge the car going up that makes electric car buyers just as bad as fossil fuel burners. Had we all solar and wind power stations, it'd be fine, but everyone uses coal plants to power their plugs at home.
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At worst, there is minimal difference in CO2 from coal vs gasoline. And coal is about the worst from an emissions stand point. BUT there are other advantages to electricity:
- Any pollution is concentrated and remote, and therefore easier to deal with. CO2 recapturing for coal plants, contained nuclear waste, etc. Tailpipe emissions are nearly impossible to manage and is worst in urban areas.
- Practically all electricity in the US is generated from sources from within North America. No money gets sent to places like Venezuela or Iran
- Its easier to replace coal electricity with greener options than it is to replace gasoline with green options. Electricity is electricity. Ethanol isn't gasoline.
- Crude oil sources will continue to get dirtier and more expensive. No guarantees on cheaper electricity, but at least it will be cleaner
- If you have a solar panel or wind turbine at your house you never have to pay to fuel your vehicle. Not too many people have their own oil well ...
For the record, I still hate the idea of electric sports cars.