Electric cars produce less CO2 than petrol vehicles, study confirms

Excellent that a reduction of CO2 is possible. Shame there was no mention though what other downsides there are, for example the impact of of lithium and Cobalt extraction processes, the amount of water necessary for it, and the impact of such huge water usage in the region where lithium is to be found which unfortunately happens to be in areas that are pretty dry....
There is still no complete 360° study. CO2 is not the only problem.
The timing of this article is also quite bizarre, with people told to stay home and not travel, in many places forced to stay home and not commute to a job they will soon lose, with a global deep recession round the corner, high unemployment rates soon to be a reality and no money to buy even cheap small petrol car.
 
Excellent that a reduction of CO2 is possible. Shame there was no mention though what other downsides there are, for example the impact of of lithium and Cobalt extraction processes, the amount of water necessary for it, and the impact of such huge water usage in the region where lithium is to be found which unfortunately happens to be in areas that are pretty dry....
There is still no complete 360° study. CO2 is not the only problem.
The timing of this article is also quite bizarre, with people told to stay home and not travel, in many places forced to stay home and not commute to a job they will soon lose, with a global deep recession round the corner, high unemployment rates soon to be a reality and no money to buy even cheap small petrol car.
You haven’t mentioned the extraction of oil. Interesting to see how this comment is weathering the passage of time, with the current boom in camper van sales.
 
You haven’t mentioned the extraction of oil. Interesting to see how this comment is weathering the passage of time, with the current boom in camper van sales.
Clever comment. As far as I am aware Hydrocarbons are still used in the manufacture and running of any EV, even in the production of the " clean " electricity. Unless of course you know differently.;)
 
Clever comment. As far as I am aware Hydrocarbons are still used in the manufacture and running of any EV, even in the production of the " clean " electricity. Unless of course you know differently.;)
Yes, exactly. The point of the linked article, which you might find it interesting to actually read, is that the total amount of hydrocarbons used in electrics, from manufacturer through use, is less than ICE.
 
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How much CO2 was produced producing the report?
 
The point is that they produce less of it...
So that addresses CO2 production, what about Environmental Pollution?
The same mistake was made regarding Diesel v Petrol. Concentrate on 1 factor and ignoring the rest. Very simplistic.
 
Concentrate on 1 factor and ignoring the rest. Very simplistic.
Who is? The link in the OP's report is about specific research into CO2 emissions. I think you'll struggle to find any research group with the expertise or funding to investigate every single element of the environmental impact of an entire industrial design and manufacturing process, particularly one as complex as modern vehicles, and ditto for the content of papers in Nature (let's ignore things like Cochrane reviews for now, on the basis that they're aggregations of ground-level research which still has to be done in order for them to exist).
 
Producing any new EV creates more CO2 than sticking with my smelly old diesel thats already been built.

Whilst I appreciate the need to reduce the CO2 emissions it shouldn't be with total disregard to other environmental problems, especially the mining of rare metals & disposal of them at end of life.
 
Who is? The link in the OP's report is about specific research into CO2 emissions. I think you'll struggle to find any research group with the expertise or funding to investigate every single element of the environmental impact of an entire industrial design and manufacturing process, particularly one as complex as modern vehicles, and ditto for the content of papers in Nature (let's ignore things like Cochrane reviews for now, on the basis that they're aggregations of ground-level research which still has to be done in order for them to exist).
But that is the whole point. By concentrating on 1 factor, in this case CO2 production we are leaving ourselves open to the next environmental disaster. Nothing stands on its own, everything is interconnected in one way or another. The Law of Unintended Consequences has still not been addressed, as exemplified by the Dash for Diesel.
 
We ship Nickel Ore now & again and its very risky to ship but commands a very high freight rate due to its danger. Looks like mud and its shipped from ports that will often ignore the international rules such as a IMSBC Certificate prior to loading, which then forces the carrier to rely on the Master, Crew & Surveyor (when they turn up!) to carry out tests on the cargo prior & during loading to establish moisture content. Various simple tests can be carried out using a Tin can /portable oven to establish water content; If its shipped with too much water it will liquefy during transit and sink a ship mid ocean within minutes.



 
Electric vehicles?....Do they not just produce their CO2...."Somewhere else"?........No problem, then.
Or other potential problems for the future. If electric cars go bigtime surely we'll be looking at nuclear generated electricity to meet demand.
 
Producing any new EV creates more CO2 than sticking with my smelly old diesel thats already been built.

Whilst I appreciate the need to reduce the CO2 emissions it shouldn't be with total disregard to other environmental problems, especially the mining of rare metals & disposal of them at end of life.
I don't disagree, but, again, the OP's linked paper is looking at production of new vehicles. Even if it's not you buying them, someone else will. The paper doesn't say you should bin your diesel and buy a new car. It's saying that when your diesel packs in, if you're staring at an EV or a diesel on the forecourt then the EV will have emitted less CO2 during its production and will emit less CO2 during it's running lifetime. You're conflating research about the CO2 emissions of new purchases with your own position in the purchase cycle and with other elements of the production process.

By concentrating on 1 factor, in this case CO2 production we are leaving ourselves open to the next environmental disaster. Nothing stands on its own
But who is "we"? And how did you reach your conclusion that "we" are "concentrating on 1 factor"? The OP's link is one paper in one journal. The scientists who wrote this paper aren't responsible for researching every aspect of this process. They simply put their expertise into one component, and society/politicians then have to aggregate the various components into policy. A necessary part of that process is reporting each individual element, and that's exactly what you're seeing here. It's how the scientific method works. Just because the OP linked to posts about CO2 emissions doesn't mean that there isn't a whole heap of research going on into the other individual elements and how they inter-link. It simply means it hasn't been posted so far in this thread on a VW California forum - surprisingly, it's out there in scientific journals instead. It's therefore simply not valid to discount one strand of the research on the basis that you just haven't seen the rest.
 
Or other potential problems for the future. If electric cars go bigtime surely we'll be looking at nuclear generated electricity to meet demand.

UK has / is already doing so (...built and paid for by the French) + alot of additional investment in wind power; Majority of Coal fired power stations now closed and balance to be phased out before 2025.

Some Biomass plants running but they only make sense if the powerplant is close to the source due to its bulky cubic nature..otherwise you end up generating alot of CO2 shipping the material to the powerplant, create a lot of local road traffic & need to keep it covered.

There is no magic answer, only true solution is to drive less; The good thing to have come out of lockdown is that people know seem to be walking to the local shop rather than driving;
 
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I don't disagree, but, again, the OP's linked paper is looking at production of new vehicles. Even if it's not you buying them, someone else will. The paper doesn't say you should bin your diesel and buy a new car. It's saying that when your diesel packs in, if you're staring at an EV or a diesel on the forecourt then the EV will have emitted less CO2 during its production and will emit less CO2 during it's running lifetime. You're conflating research about the CO2 emissions of new purchases with your own position in the purchase cycle and with other elements of the production process.


But who is "we"? And how did you reach your conclusion that "we" are "concentrating on 1 factor"? The OP's link is one paper in one journal. The scientists who wrote this paper aren't responsible for researching every aspect of this process. They simply put their expertise into one component, and society/politicians then have to aggregate the various components into policy. A necessary part of that process is reporting each individual element, and that's exactly what you're seeing here. It's how the scientific method works. Just because the OP linked to posts about CO2 emissions doesn't mean that there isn't a whole heap of research going on into the other individual elements and how they inter-link. It simply means it hasn't been posted so far in this thread on a VW California forum - surprisingly, it's out there in scientific journals instead. It's therefore simply not valid to discount one strand of the research on the basis that you just haven't seen the rest.
I've read many papers regarding the wider aspect of the environmental impact regarding the Dash for EV. The problem is only the +tve research is published, as on this Forum and in the Media generally. Only those who are prepared to delve more deeply find that EVs are possibly not the best environmentally and that we are on a slippery slope to the next environmental disaster. So just putting the record straight. EVs are not smelling of roses and don't believe everything you read in the media. Search a little deeper.
 
For me the issue with EVs is not whether they use less CO2. There would be a benefit even if all they did was reduce particulates. The problem is that they just aren't as good as internal combustion yet.

Early energy saving light bulbs used less energy but also produced less light and were a lifestyle choice rather than a practical one.

Only when there were advances in LED technology that gave superior performance did filament bulbs become a thing of the past.

We don't seem to have the LED equivalent for cars yet so whilst growing in popularity EVs remain niche and expensive.

Incidentally half my street is currently being excavated by internal combustion because the electrical supply can't cope with the charge point for my neighbours new EV.....
 
Or other potential problems for the future. If electric cars go bigtime surely we'll be looking at nuclear generated electricity to meet demand.
I can’t think of any reason why such a filthy method of producing energy, which leaves as its waste the most toxic substance known to man with a half life of 250,000 years, a morally contemptible legacy to future generations, would ever be considered. There are so many alternatives. Many countries around the world have been using a combination of solar and wind to power pumping water to higher elevations as a battery for storing energy for over half a century. I just visited a famous one near Munich which will be 100 years old in 2024.

Edited at the request of moderator, whose judgement I trust and respect.
 
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I look at that graph which presumes to show the environmental impact of nuclear, while ignoring the fact that the extremely deadly waste it produces will only be reduced by half after 125 times the amount of years that Christ has been dead, and I’m not surprised that this article has been posted, or that some think future generations should pick up the tab for our excesses.
 
Early energy saving light bulbs used less energy but also produced less light and were a lifestyle choice
They also contained mercury & after they have expired, usually years before their stated lifespan have to be treated as hazardous waste & not just thrown into general landfill. None of which the general consumer was warned about before buying.
 
I don't disagree, but, again, the OP's linked paper is looking at production of new vehicles.
But that is the root of the problem, we are a disposable society, we should be producing vehicles with the aim of them lasting longer, although I would suggest that calis are far better than most and will be used for years longer than most cars.

I would love to see some statistics for Cuba on their total co2 emmisions related to cars. The 30 odd years of no imports meant no CO2 created in car manufacturing, but presumably higher emissions in use. Recycling of parts was taken to the extreme. I wonder how their current total emisions now Compare.
 
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