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I sure hope that their estimates are wrong. Only 35% of new cars being electric by 2040 sounds depressingly little...

melling 11y ago
Wait until you find out that the electricity will come from coal. We haven't solved the clean electricity problem either. Even at only 35%, they're going to need a lot to of electricity. "There’s another side to this EV equation: Where will all this electricity come from? By 2040, electric cars will draw 1,900 terawatt-hours of electricity, according to BNEF. That’s equivalent to 10 percent of humanity’s electricity produced last year."
- zizee 11y ago
  Well, at the rate solar panels and battery storage is improving (read cheaper), by 2040 solar will be cheaper than coal by a country mile. I wouldn't be surprised if on grid solar is already cheaper than coal, if coal wasn't massively subsidized by being allowed to pollute the commons for free. Regardless, it is much better to have EVs powered by large, more efficient powers sources, that are easier to scrub the outputs of, or replace with cleaner options.
- ksec 11y ago
  We can, at least control, and get a what they call Clean Coal Power Station. Which basically store all the toxic and unwanted substance somewhere else instead of releasing into the atmosphere. But yes, we do need some new way to generate electricity, that could be Solar Panel getting to 40% efficiency or Nuclear Fission. Personally i would like some more Nuclear Fusion advance, but i guess we are at least another 50 years from it.
- matt_wulfeck 11y ago
  This is a solved problem even if we don't necessarily like the solution: nuclear
- api_or_ipa 11y ago
  We should be clear that there are a number of alternatives to dirty burning coal. Most of Canada's power demand is met through hydroelectric power. In more southern latitudes solar + wind is totally viable. The thing is, we have solved the clean electricity issue. We are constantly improving our clean tech and driving the costs ever lower. We've just been plagued with naysayers and feet draggers.
- lern_too_spel 11y ago
  In the US, coal usage for electricity generation has been decreasing since 2008. http://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/browser/#/topic/3?agg=0,1&geo=vvvvvvvvvvvvo&freq=A&start=2001&end=2014&ctype=linechart&ltype=pin&rtype=s&pin=&rse=0&maptype=0 http://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/browser/#/topic/3?agg=0,...
- ZeroGravitas 11y ago
  The extra electricity required is often estimated to be much less then you'd expect. One reason is that refining crude oil uses electricity. Some people (such as Elon Musk) even claim that the electricity used to refine gasoline is so great, that it roughly equals the amount of electricity that an electric car would require to go the same distance as a gasoline powered car. In other words, no extra electricity is required. A short video on the topic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQpX-9OyEr4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQpX-9OyEr4

Wait until you find out that the electricity will come from coal. We haven't solved the clean electricity problem either. Even at only 35%, they're going to need a lot to of electricity. "There’s another side to this EV equation: Where will all this electricity come from? By 2040, electric cars will draw 1,900 terawatt-hours of electricity, according to BNEF. That’s equivalent to 10 percent of humanity’s electricity produced last year."

zizee 11y ago
Well, at the rate solar panels and battery storage is improving (read cheaper), by 2040 solar will be cheaper than coal by a country mile. I wouldn't be surprised if on grid solar is already cheaper than coal, if coal wasn't massively subsidized by being allowed to pollute the commons for free. Regardless, it is much better to have EVs powered by large, more efficient powers sources, that are easier to scrub the outputs of, or replace with cleaner options.
ksec 11y ago
We can, at least control, and get a what they call Clean Coal Power Station. Which basically store all the toxic and unwanted substance somewhere else instead of releasing into the atmosphere. But yes, we do need some new way to generate electricity, that could be Solar Panel getting to 40% efficiency or Nuclear Fission. Personally i would like some more Nuclear Fusion advance, but i guess we are at least another 50 years from it.
matt_wulfeck 11y ago
This is a solved problem even if we don't necessarily like the solution: nuclear
api_or_ipa 11y ago
We should be clear that there are a number of alternatives to dirty burning coal. Most of Canada's power demand is met through hydroelectric power. In more southern latitudes solar + wind is totally viable. The thing is, we have solved the clean electricity issue. We are constantly improving our clean tech and driving the costs ever lower. We've just been plagued with naysayers and feet draggers.
lern_too_spel 11y ago
In the US, coal usage for electricity generation has been decreasing since 2008. http://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/browser/#/topic/3?agg=0,1&geo=vvvvvvvvvvvvo&freq=A&start=2001&end=2014&ctype=linechart&ltype=pin&rtype=s&pin=&rse=0&maptype=0 http://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/browser/#/topic/3?agg=0,...
ZeroGravitas 11y ago
The extra electricity required is often estimated to be much less then you'd expect. One reason is that refining crude oil uses electricity. Some people (such as Elon Musk) even claim that the electricity used to refine gasoline is so great, that it roughly equals the amount of electricity that an electric car would require to go the same distance as a gasoline powered car. In other words, no extra electricity is required. A short video on the topic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQpX-9OyEr4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQpX-9OyEr4