Don't Squander Away the Full Potential of that Nice Little Electric Car

 Get rid of the carbon emissions created by electric vehicles -- all of it! And, if you are going to do that, you will need to get rid of every coal-fired power plant in America, and every power plant that relies on natural gas.

Yes, what they say is true -- the bit about how the EV relies on carbon power plants for lithium, for other minerals, and for the the milling and construction of the vehicle. 

   And, when the EV runs out of power? You plug it in for a recharge. And, of course that means the EV is dependent on those carbon-spewing power plants  all over again. The electric energy pumped into the battery too often comes from coal-fired plants and from natural gas power plants. No, no emissions come out the tailpipe of the electric, but that doesn't mean no emissions enter the air as a result of our wonderful and lovable electric car.

   Lot's do. Way too much.

   Did you know that sweet little modern creation known as the EV causes roughly 60 percent as much carbon emission as the old, mug-ugly gasoline-fed car? See, when you factor in the mining for lithium and other minerals, and when you factor in the energy needed to forge the metals and built the car . . . 

   Yep, that ups the carbon footprint of our precious electric -- drastically. A study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (known as MIT around these parts) reveals that while a gasoline-powered machine causes about 350 grams of C02 per mile over the life of the car, an electric-powered toy -- if I can call it that (because it's so fun to play with) -- requires 200.

   And, yes, that means the electric is all the way up to about 60 percent of the carbon footprint of the gas-o-haul. 

   We are wasting so much of the progress we are making in converting to electrics if we don't also convert to green-energy power plants. Solar and wind production must be drastically increased.

   Otherwise, it's two steps forward, but one step back. Otherwise, we are negating half the work we are doing in switching to electric vehicles. Wasting it; squandering it. The little car will never be clean until  the power plants it relies on are also clean.

(Index -- Climate change info)