Source: http://wardsauto.com/ideaxchange/environmental-downside-bevs#comment-66561 It takes so much energy to make batteries the Union of Concerned Scientists says BEVs with a 250-mile (402-km) range start out life with a carbon footprint 68% higher than a piston-engine car. There’s a growing global movement to ban the internal combustion engine. Several cities and countries have boldly announced plans to ban piston engines in favor of electric cars. They want a shortcut to stop global warming and save the planet. And while this is a noble goal, they’re in for a nasty surprise. Battery-electric cars are not as environmentally clean as they’re made out to be. And piston engines are not as dirty. Regulators and legislators are making a fundamental mistake in mandating the technology they want, rather than the results they want. Unfortunately they’re focusing on tailpipe emissions, rather than standing back and looking at the big picture. They need to regulate the life-cycle emissions created by an automobile, not just the exhaust gases coming out of the engine. Not unexpected, the author didn't cite the specific report so I did it in my comment: I just read "Cleaner Cars from Cradle to Grave" Rachael Dealer, David Reichmuth, Don Anair, Union of Concerned Scientist, November 2015, (Cleaner-Cars-from-Cradle-to-Grave-full-report.pdf) and noticed a summary graph, Figure ES-2. "Life Cycle Global Warming Emissions from the Manufacturing and Operation of Gasoline and Battery-Electric Vehicles, on pp.4. So this is what it shows for combined operation, battery and vehicle manufacturing: 51% reduction for midsize gasoline vs 84-mile BEV 53% reduction for full-size gasoline vs 265-mile BEV In our case, we have two, plug-in hybrids, 2014 BMW i3-REx and 2017 Prius Prime. Our electric miles in Huntsville AL are half the cost of gasoline miles not counting 1/3d of the electric miles we get from free chargers at local shopping malls and businesses. Retired, I can't afford to walk away from $2.50 to drive 100 miles. LiON batteries use cobalt that costs $26.88/lb and nickel $5.37. So if you'll give me the address of the landfill full of these batteries, I'll bring my shovel and melt them down. Retired, I could use the extra cash. Bob Wilson, Huntsville, AL If posted once, we're going to see this article show up in lots of publications. I'd recommend forming your own reply and sharing it with the community. With our eyes, we can spot the 'reprints' and reply with facts and data. <grins> Bob Wilson
As expected, part of the essay showed up in today's 'Autoline Daily.' AD #2222 – Environmental Downside of EVs, NHTSA Wants New AV Rules, Toyota Struggles To Make Solid State Batteries – Autoline Daily Bob Wilson
the good news: as long as the hit piece articles continue? that means the koch bros are worried. they won't go down without a fight, but they will go down.
I agree with the first part by the author, metrics should be metrics. Well except in heavily polluted places like - well half of California. There tailpipe pollution needs to be more front and center. Then again cars like the prius, camry hybrid, i3-rex, etc are really clean, and clean enough for every city in the US. The internal combustion engine, especially when used in a phev or hybrid does not need to be regulated away, it should be encouraged ;-) The us federal government already does this, but .... as the author says Electric cars, fuel cell cars, etc still produce ghg and other pollutants in building the cars and producing the fuel. What the author does next though is simply lie about the numbers as you point out bob. I mean the gigafactory is producing batteries with much less ghg and other pollutants than the model S was way back when it came out, and even over a year ago the numbers said something quite unlike what the opinion piece writer said. The Carbon Footprint Of Tesla Manufacturing This stuff was debunked long ago, but people keep pushing the false narative. I'm glad you commented to correct it.
The good news is 'Domenick' an admin at Insideevs Tweeted the Union of Concerned Scientists and got a response. At least there has been some successful reaching out: EVs are more environmentally destructive than internal combustion, say some | Inside EVS Forum Bob Wilson
According to the latest version of the GREET model (GREET_2017), EVs do produce more GHG emissions during vehicle manufacturing: However, as mentioned here, overall life-cycle GHG emissions are much lower for EV than an equivalent gasoline (GDI) vehicle, based on the latest U.S. electricity generation mix per EIA. 407 g/mile (GDI); 235 g/mile (EV).
I found the exact quote: Global warming emissions occur when manufacturing any vehicle, regardless of its power source, but BEV production results in higher emissions than the making of gasoline cars—mostly due to the materials and fabrication of the BEV lithium-ion battery. Under the average U.S. electricity grid mix, we found that producing a midsize, midrange (84 miles per charge) BEV typically adds a little over 1 ton of emissions to the total manufacturing emissions, resulting in 15 percent greater emissions than in manufacturing a similar gasoline vehicle. However, replacing gasoline use with electricity reduces overall emissions by 51 percent over the life of the car. A full-size long-range (265 miles per charge) BEV, with its larger battery, adds about six tons of emissions, which increases manufacturing emissions by 68 percent over the gasoline version. But this electric vehicle results in 53 percent lower overall emissions compared with a similar gasoline vehicle (see Figure ES-2). In other words, the extra emissions associated with electric vehicle production are rapidly negated by reduced emissions from driving. Comparing an average midsize midrange BEV with an average midsize gasoline-powered car, it takes just 4,900 miles of driving to “pay back”—i.e., offset—the extra global warming emissions from producing the BEV. Similarly, it takes 19,000 miles with the full-size long-range BEV compared with a similar gasoline car. Based on typical usages of these vehicles, this amounts to about six months’ driving for the midsize midrange BEV and 16 months for the full-size long-range BEV. "Cleaner Cars from Cradle to Grave", Rachael Nealer, David Reichmuth, Don Anair, Union of Concerned Scientist, November 2015, pp. 3. Bob Wilson "
