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Do EV's actually do anything beneficial for the planet? (lemmy.today)

submitted 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) by helpmyusernamewontfi@lemmy.today to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

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I've seen a lot of posts here on Lemmy, specifically in the "fuck cars" communities as to how Electric Vehicles do pretty much nothing for the Climate, but I continue to see Climate activists everywhere try pushing so, so hard for Electric Vehicles.

Are they actually beneficial to the planet other than limiting exhaust, or is that it? or maybe exhaust is a way bigger problem?

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[–] blazera@kbin.social 2 points 9 months ago (2 children)

it's actually a pretty simple to figure out carbon footprint for gas powered cars. Gasoline is just a bunch of carbon atoms loosely linked together. You add heat, you add oxygen, and the carbon molecule bonds break in favor of bonding with oxygen to form carbon dioxide/monoxide, and release energy in the process. That's how combustion works. None of the carbon is destroyed in the process, all of the gasoline just gets converted into a gas; a greenhouse gas. Its why cars are the largest source of emissions in the US.

All of that is cut in an EV. With renewable energy sources there doesnt have to be any greenhouse emissions with EV's.

[–] snooggums@kbin.social 3 points 9 months ago (2 children)

It is cut locally at the point of use by offloading the pollution and energy generation elsewhere. EV battery production as it is currently practiced is terrible, but also very far from where people actually use them.

They are net positive for sure, but only because of the potential for using less pollution energy generation instead of burning fossil fuels to move.

[–] bluGill@kbin.social 3 points 9 months ago

Where I live eaectric is 100% wind. with that and solar many places have a significat renewable Part. Even in the worst case fossil fuels are 2 or 3 times more efficent than a car engine.

[–] blazera@kbin.social 3 points 9 months ago

EV battery production as it is currently practiced is terrible

Nah. Fossil fuel industry want people to think it is, and most people assume it is thinking there has to be a catch. Lithium "mining" is pretty low impact compared to traditional metal mining, and theres not that much lithium per battery anyway.

[–] SwingingTheLamp@midwest.social 1 points 9 months ago

Gasoline is only part of the picture, however. For one, the chemical reaction by which concrete cures releases CO~2~, and concrete is responsible for 4-8% of emissions globally. Unless we're going to drive those new-fangled EVs on old-fashioned dirt roads, they account for significant greenhouse gases.