This is a beautiful example of the folly of good intentions. Analysis is still required. I don't know why we as a culture accept these "great ideas" and great terrors ("The Sky Is Falling!" by Algore and the Chicken Littles) so uncritically. One bit of certainty I have is that the folks trying to hard to convince us about the magnificence of the electric car pocketed millions that Congress diverted from our pockets to the electric auto industry over the last 20 years.
Britain's Department for Transport is spending $66 million over the next year giving up to 8,600 buyers of electric cars a grant of $7700 towards the purchase price. Ministers are considering extending the scheme.
The study was commissioned by the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership, which is jointly funded by the British government and the car industry. It found that a mid-size electric car would produce 23.1 tonnes of CO2 over its lifetime, compared with 24 tonnes for a similar petrol car. Emissions from manufacturing electric cars are at least 50 per cent higher because batteries are made from materials such as lithium, copper and refined silicon, which require much energy to be processed.
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.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/health-science/electric-cars-may-not-be-so-green-after-all-says-british-study/story-e6frg8y6-1226073103576
http://hotair.com/archives/2011/06/13/electric-cars-not-so-green-after-all/
Because carbon emissions are a surrogate for energy, it's reasonable to assume that, even if you are smart enough not to be worried about CO2 as a greenhouse gas, these things are not saving any energy, either. But at least they are small, expensive and dangerous.
It's difficult not to give in to anger about the stupidity of the "electric car mania" but it also would not help anything or anyone, and it wouldn't 'unspend' all the wealth that's been destroyed by those in Congress, who, presumably, should have figured these kinds of things out before throwing our money at this dreamy eyed project. But of course - they don't actually care about whether or not the moeny they spend will result in a net benefit to the nation, they spend money based on political calculus. That's why we're screwed.
Britain's Department for Transport is spending $66 million over the next year giving up to 8,600 buyers of electric cars a grant of $7700 towards the purchase price. Ministers are considering extending the scheme.
The study was commissioned by the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership, which is jointly funded by the British government and the car industry. It found that a mid-size electric car would produce 23.1 tonnes of CO2 over its lifetime, compared with 24 tonnes for a similar petrol car. Emissions from manufacturing electric cars are at least 50 per cent higher because batteries are made from materials such as lithium, copper and refined silicon, which require much energy to be processed.
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.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/health-science/electric-cars-may-not-be-so-green-after-all-says-british-study/story-e6frg8y6-1226073103576
http://hotair.com/archives/2011/06/13/electric-cars-not-so-green-after-all/
Because carbon emissions are a surrogate for energy, it's reasonable to assume that, even if you are smart enough not to be worried about CO2 as a greenhouse gas, these things are not saving any energy, either. But at least they are small, expensive and dangerous.
It's difficult not to give in to anger about the stupidity of the "electric car mania" but it also would not help anything or anyone, and it wouldn't 'unspend' all the wealth that's been destroyed by those in Congress, who, presumably, should have figured these kinds of things out before throwing our money at this dreamy eyed project. But of course - they don't actually care about whether or not the moeny they spend will result in a net benefit to the nation, they spend money based on political calculus. That's why we're screwed.
Agreed. Almost as if they have to justify their existence in Washington, but "staying busy".
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