Green Guru: Do Electric Cars Really Reduce Pollution?

Bernhard Lang/ Getty Images

Green Guru: Do Electric Cars Really Reduce Pollution?

The emissions of an electric car from production to the charging station. 

By Susan Cosier
Published: September-October 2011

Do electric cars really reduce pollution in the long run?

Patricia Carey, Bellvue, CO

 

Cars fueled by an electric charge produce fewer emissions than their gas-guzzling cousins, even when taking into account that plug-ins draw energy from power plants. Most electricity in the United States comes from natural gas, nuclear energy, and coal—the latter being the most polluting source. Still, says Stan Hadley, a senior researcher in the Energy and Transportation Science Division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, even if the juice in your outlet comes from a coal-fired power plant, “plug-in hybrids, for most all situations, would be cleaner than conventional cars.”

Studies show that in some cases, certain plug-in electric vehicles that pull electricity from gas-fired plants produce up to 60 percent fewer emissions than a conventional car with an internal combustion engine.

Another consideration is that it’s easier to reduce pollution from a few thousand smokestacks than from a million tailpipes. In light of the EPA clamping down on air pollution violations, utilities are taking steps to move away from coal. For instance, one of the nation’s largest coal-burning utilities, the Tennessee Valley Authority, has announced that it will shutter 18 boilers and retrofit other plants to decrease emissions. To replace the electric capacity, it’s considering renewable energy, natural gas, nuclear power, and energy efficiency. To find out which fuel your utility uses, go to epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-and-you/how-clean.html and type in your zip code.

Send your vexing questions to greenguru@audubon.org. 

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Author Profile

Susan Cosier

Susan Cosier is a senior editor at Audubon magazine. Follow her on Twitter @susancosier.

Type: Author | From: Audubon Magazine

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Shallenge is to find charging stations

I was talking to a co-worker who owns a Nissan Leaf car and has been talking about how smooth the performance of Leaf. He liked the way it is, with very minimal sound coming from it. I was surprised of it, too, when he asked me to test drive it. He has been convincing me to buy an electronic vehicle as it is much kinder to the environment. It emits lower greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, which is a real good thing. However, one thing that he still finds it a challenge is to find charging stations. Nevertheless, he is happy with his car.

Bill needs to get his facts straight.

The 43 pounds of CO2 do not only come from the gallon of gas which weighs ~8 pounds. The only thing that comes from the gas is the carbon (C). The oxygen from the surrounding air provides the 2 oxygen atoms for the CO2, which are themselves much heavier than the carbon.
Nevertheless, this still does not account for the 43 lbs of CO2. By my calculations, 43 lbs of CO2 -> 11 lbs of pure carbon. The actual estimate for pounds of CO2 released per gallon is more like 2 pounds.

Green Guru: Do Electric Cars Really Reduce Pollution? | Audubon

Awesome! Its actually awesome piece of writing, I have got much clear idea about from this post.

Good blog

I appreciate it that electric cars really reduce pollution. From this website I have known about the electric vehicles that pull electricity from gas-fired plants produce up to 60 percent fewer emissions than a conventional car with an internal combustion engine. Thanks and inform like this...
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Green Guru: Do Electric Cars Really Reduce Pollution? | Audubon

Spot on with this write-up, I honestly think this website needs far more attention.
I'll probably be back again to see more, thanks for the information!

@reality..... So what you are

@reality..... So what you are claiming is that a gallon of gas that weighs approx 8lbs pruduces 43lbs of CO2? Where did the extra 35lbs of weight come from? If we are to take your numbers of 75/25%, that would make the 75% a total of 6lbs which now brings the magical weight factor to 37lbs of CO2... Can you account for the extra weight created by burning 8lbs of liquid fuel? I'm all for dropping our pollution levels as much as possible, but rediculous claims with rediculous figures such as yours causes the average person to question the entire green movement. Instead of making up figures and lying to the public, the green movement needs to come clean itself before it can expect the public at large to take it seriously.

You're right, mostly.

The 43 pounds of CO2 do not only come from the gallon of gas which weighs ~8 pounds. The only thing that comes from the gas is the carbon (C). The oxygen from the surrounding air provides the 2 oxygen atoms for the CO2, which are themselves much heavier than the carbon.
Nevertheless, this still does not account for the 43 lbs of CO2. By my calculations, 43 lbs of CO2 -> 11 lbs of pure carbon. THe actual estimate for pounds of CO2 released per gallon is more like 2 pounds.

one sided data

Power plants and the distribution system are horribly inefficient....All you are doing is shifting the polution to another location. Take a look at the pounds of CO2 produced when you produce a kwh with a coal power plant and don't forget to add the coal transportation, electric and petroleum energy used to produce the coal and the horrible environmental destruction caused by mining. Fly over the Appalachians and other areas of the US and look what coal production has done.

Green Guru: Do Electric Cars Really Reduce Pollution? | Audubon

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