3 ms·

Coal releases lead, radon, and other toxic pollutants into the environment. And you haven't supported the assertion that coal-powered EVs emit less CO2, and it

by nwah1 9y ago

Coal releases lead, radon, and other toxic pollutants into the environment. And you haven't supported the assertion that coal-powered EVs emit less CO2, and it contradicts what I've generally heard elsewhere.

ecpottinger 9y ago
Do the math instead of listening to people who resist change. You are right about the extra stuff that comes with coal power, but you will find with a good modern coal plant, transmission losses, and battery/electric motor loss still puts less CO2 in the air that gasoline cars per mile travelled.
- rayiner 9y ago
  https://www.citylab.com/environment/2015/06/where-electric-vehicles-actually-cause-more-pollution-than-gas-cars/397136/ https://www.citylab.com/environment/2015/06/where-electric-v...
melling 9y ago
You have no idea if coal, gas, or nuclear is used. You just made a guess that they use more coal? According to Wikipedia there are two gas fired plants in Shenzhen: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_major_power_stations_in_Guangdong https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_major_power_stations_i...
adrianN 9y ago
ICEs release all kinds of toxic gases and particulates too, only they do right where people breathe. Coal plants can be build farther away.
- nwah1 9y ago
  Very true. Although, historically speaking even in the US there have been coal power plants right in dense urban areas.
ZenoArrow 9y ago
> "And you haven't supported the assertion that coal-powered EVs emit less CO2, and it contradicts what I've generally heard elsewhere." https://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/14/how-gas-cars-use-more-electricity-to-go-100-miles-than-evs-do/ https://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/14/how-gas-cars-use-more-el... I'm guessing the units should've been 'KW' rather than 'KWh' but the general point is, you have to take into account the energy used to take the oil from the ground and transform it into petrol/diesel ready to be used in cars. In other words, all of the energy used in drilling, refining and transporting should count towards the total energy used.

by nwah1 9y ago

ecpottinger 9y ago

Do the math instead of listening to people who resist change. You are right about the extra stuff that comes with coal power, but you will find with a good modern coal plant, transmission losses, and battery/electric motor loss still puts less CO2 in the air that gasoline cars per mile travelled.

rayiner 9y ago
https://www.citylab.com/environment/2015/06/where-electric-vehicles-actually-cause-more-pollution-than-gas-cars/397136/ https://www.citylab.com/environment/2015/06/where-electric-v...

melling 9y ago

You have no idea if coal, gas, or nuclear is used. You just made a guess that they use more coal? According to Wikipedia there are two gas fired plants in Shenzhen: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_major_power_stations_in_Guangdong https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_major_power_stations_i...

adrianN 9y ago

ICEs release all kinds of toxic gases and particulates too, only they do right where people breathe. Coal plants can be build farther away.

nwah1 9y ago
Very true. Although, historically speaking even in the US there have been coal power plants right in dense urban areas.

ZenoArrow 9y ago

> "And you haven't supported the assertion that coal-powered EVs emit less CO2, and it contradicts what I've generally heard elsewhere." https://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/14/how-gas-cars-use-more-electricity-to-go-100-miles-than-evs-do/ https://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/14/how-gas-cars-use-more-el... I'm guessing the units should've been 'KW' rather than 'KWh' but the general point is, you have to take into account the energy used to take the oil from the ground and transform it into petrol/diesel ready to be used in cars. In other words, all of the energy used in drilling, refining and transporting should count towards the total energy used.