1) Should we be considering the energy emissions created to charge electric vehicles? Why or why not?
2) Do electric vehicles still seem appealing? Why or why not?
3) Will electric vehicles save the world? Why or why not?
4) How much material goes into making an electric vehicle? More or less than a regular vehicle? Should we be considering that in our emission discussion?
http://www.bbc.com/autos/story/20160316-questioning-electric-vehicles-green-cred
MARK THIS ONE: It is known amongst society that electric cars have the potential to reduce global carbon emissions, but it is extremely important to realize that this is completely dependent of what form of electricity is being used to charge the vehicle. Many countries still rely on burning coal for electricity, which would cause the cars to have a large carbon footprint. India’s coal dominance for fuel means that electric cars that should be better for the environment are not. From these electric cars in India, they are producing 370-258 g CO2e/km (http://shrinkthatfootprint.com).
ReplyDeleteAlthough this seems just as bad as a regular fossil fuel burning car, in most countries it is the complete opposite. In places such as Canada, Paraguay, and Iceland that mostly rely on hydroelectricity to power their cars, their carbon footprint is drastically reduced. In Paraguay virtually all of the 70 g CO2e/km results from vehicle manufacturing instead of use of the car. In my opinion, this is extraordinary!
Electric cars still seem appealing to me, but I think that it is because we live in one of the countries where having an electric car is more efficient and eco-friendly than the other cars. I also find the cars appealing because they are now being made with better style and look. The electric car that I personally think is the most appealing for efficiency and style (regardless of the $35000 price tag) is the Tesla Model III.
I think that the world is way past the point of fixing climate change, but I do think that we can reduce the effects. This would mean that we need to change extremely rapidly, but it is possible. The Sierra Club for Electric Vehicles noted that America needs 10 million electric vehicles on the road by 2025 to avoid the worst effects of climate change. This is a huge number for America alone considering that last year only 0.85 percent of vehicles sold were electric. I would have to say that there is a way for us to help the planet by driving these vehicles, but the chance of this alone saving the planet is slim to none.
The manufacturing of both cars are extremely similar in material usage, although there is one key difference: one uses a gas engine, and the other uses batteries. This gives the electric cars the advantage because the batteries can be recharged unlike the engine of a fuel burning car.
I definitely believe that we should include the whole process of making the cars in our discussion because we need to know which option is truly better for the environment. We need to discover a car that thrives in all categories so that we have a car that has the least amount of impact on the environment. Discussing things only makes us more aware, so I believe we should always discuss things of complexity so we can all have a better understanding.
Citations:
http://shrinkthatfootprint.com
https://content.sierraclub.org/evguide/blog/2015/02
i agree, new technology advancements will help to stop the consumption of fossil fuels and work towards reusable resources. We need new helpful things to survive, we cannot keep going as we are. These are world issues that we need to fix now.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that these new advancements have many benefits to our earth. The use of electric cars will help decrease the amount of fossil fuels we burn in order to power our gas running cars. In order to keep a functioning world we need to come up with new ways to approach problems.
DeleteI agree that the effects of climate change are exceeding at such a fast rate it's nearly impossible to reverse the effects. But products and technology advancements like electrical cars are a great way to greatly slow down the process of the destruction of the earth if everybody used it
DeleteMark this one:
ReplyDeleteOf course when we consider the carbon footprint of electric cars versus normal car we should consider the emissions that are created from the production of electricity for the cars. At the same time we should consider the carbon footprint that comes from manufacturing fuel for normal cars. I don't think that the sole use of electric cars will necessarily “save the world” but it will definitely benefit the world in a positive way. There is three times more copper in an electric vehicle than there is in a normal car. The good thing about this is that we know how to recycle the copper that we don't use so that it can be re-used. I think that with the recent release of the Tesla Model 3 other car manufacturers will be forced to start producing better eco friendly car at a more reasonable price. This will make it easier for people to get into eco friendly cars and really make a change for the better.
http://jalopnik.com/ever-wondered-how-much-copper-goes-into-electric-cars-1692424366
Even though pollution affects developing countries more than developed, I agree that electric cars wont "save the world" but definitely have a positive affect. To explain, electric cars may help improve people lives and create a better environment for growing crops, but it wont help stop the outbreak of AID/HIV or provide more education and healthcare to those in serve need.
DeleteMark This One:
ReplyDeleteI don't see electric cars saving for the world, but I do think they make a positive difference on societies overall energy usage. It may not seem like much at minimal level but if everyone drove electric cars right now it would definitely make a difference. While this could be possible for rich countries like Canada, U.S. and UK, many parts of the world don't even have electricity and wouldn't be able to use electric cars.
http://shrinkthatfootprint.com/electric-cars-green