• Porto881@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    104
    arrow-down
    3
    ·
    edit-2
    1 year ago

    Electric cars don’t solve every problem with private vehicle ownership but they’re certainly a step in the right direction. Most EVs average an equivalent of more than 100mpg versus most ICEs, which are around 30-40. You can also power an EV with renewable resources. This isn’t possible with ICEs (yes, I know you can power certain diesels with biofuel, but it’s horribly inefficient).

    “Buying a new car is worse than keeping an old one” is an incredibly situational phrase that has a million exceptions for so many people.

    • ch00f@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      35
      ·
      1 year ago

      Buying a new car is worse than keeping an old one

      Also, what do you think happens to your car when you replace it with an electric car? Do most people just drive their old cars into the ocean when they upgrade?

    • Imgonnatrythis@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      9
      arrow-down
      14
      ·
      1 year ago

      “Buying a new car is worse than keeping an old one” is an incredibly situational phrase that has a million exceptions for so many people.

      Yeah, but this still holds a lot of water. More often than not people buy a new car to have a new car or even worse they buy one specificcally because they are misguidedly trying to lessen their carbon footprint.

      • Lightor@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        1 year ago

        People aren’t just buying new cars for fun in a recession. The point is people will need to buy a new car at some point. Either because they now need their own car or their old one isn’t viable. At that point, choosing an electric car is a step in the right direction. That’s why this post is stupid, it’s acting like buying an electric car is just a frivolous purchase and not acknowledgeding that when someone needs to buy a car there is a choice to be made.

      • neryam@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        25
        ·
        1 year ago

        This is often repeated and very damaging misinformation. An EV powered purely by coal is significantly better for the environment than an ICE car over its lifetime. This is because coal fired power plants are more efficient than internal combustion engines due to economies of scale, even after taking into account transmission losses.

        https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/when-do-electric-vehicles-become-cleaner-than-gasoline-cars-2021-06-29/#:~:text=Even in the worst case,grams%2C the Reuters analysis showed.

        • pivot_root@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          4
          ·
          edit-2
          1 year ago

          It’s more so outdated parroting than deliberate misinformation. A lot of the times I see people trying to back this one up, it’s with Hawkins et al.'s Comparative environmental life cycle assessment of conventional and electric vehicles paper. A 2012 study that analyzes emissions based on manufacturing and energy production capabilities of the time doesn’t hold up well over a decade later.

          You would think that would be obvious, but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

        • ClaireDeLuna@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          4
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          1 year ago

          Oh today I learned, TBH my information was probably out of date. But this is good to know. Definitely a step in the right direction even if more diversified public transportation options are better

      • GissaMittJobb@lemmy.ml
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        5
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        1 year ago

        Lithium mining is incredibly horrible for the environment.

        Guess what else is incredibly horrible for the environment? Oil extraction. In fact, oil extraction is arguably worse for the environment.

        Let’s put this tired talking point to rest, forever. It’s more than likely been invented by the special interest groups for oil.

    • Custoslibera@lemmy.worldOP
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      10
      arrow-down
      18
      ·
      edit-2
      1 year ago

      My frustration comes from the fact that hybrids exist and are not used nearly as enough as they should (all cars should have been mandated as hybrids a decade ago) and this would reduce the downsides of electric car production.

      I’m not defending ICEs here, I just think the overall environmental credentials of electric cars at this point in time isn’t as good as hybrids.

      I fully expect this to change in the future but I’ve got entire fleets of vehicles which are less than 5 years old being replaced by electric and that makes no sense.

      Also cars generally are just a terrible solution to mass transport. We already have the most environmentally friendly option known to man. Bicycles and trains.

      Edit: for further information on hybrid vs electric see this analysis:

      https://www.carboncounter.com/#!/explore