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Also worth noting that as the grid goes green, so do all EVs. Not so for combustion engines, unless we somehow switch to synthesizing hydrocarbon fuel from non-

Also worth noting that as the grid goes green, so do all EVs. Not so for combustion engines, unless we somehow switch to synthesizing hydrocarbon fuel from non-sequestered carbon sources. (Which tbh I think will happen more as we near 100% green energy - you'll still end up with special cases where the energy density and portability benefits of storing energy as bonds in hydrocarbons still makes sense and justifies paying a higher cost for such synthetic fuel!) But with how everything is going with solar, batteries, and nuclear, I suspect that the invisible hand of the free market is going to make the default "I want to make 1-7 people go about 70mph for 0-4 hours" vehicle be an EV, rather than doing complicated and expensive chemistry to make renewable hydrocarbons.

solardev 4y ago
The grid is nowhere near green and won't be for a long time. Probably not even before the EOL of the existing EVs on the road.
- abenga 4y ago
  The grid doesn't have to be 100% green for it to be better than everyone burning gas in their cars. An electric car becomes greener as the grid becomes greener, a gas car is just as dirty today as it was last year.
  - solardev 4y ago
    I fact-checked this and it turns out I was completely wrong, and I'm sorry. Even with the current grid mix, a typical all-electric car will on average be greener than a gasoline car after about 15,000 miles. Even if you're in a place where 100% of your electricity comes from coal, the electric would still beat out the gas car after 89,000 miles. So, it is like you said: It is already cleaner, and will get even cleaner as the grid improves. Thank you for the heads-up! I stand corrected :) ----- Sources... Breakeven points: https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/lifetime-carbon-emissions-electric-vehicles-vs-gasoline-cars-2021-06-29/?taid=60dadff1fdc7d30001f53a35 https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/lifeti... State-by-comparisons between electric, hybrid, and gas: https://afdc.energy.gov/vehicles/electric_emissions.html https://afdc.energy.gov/vehicles/electric_emissions.html

solardev 4y ago

The grid is nowhere near green and won't be for a long time. Probably not even before the EOL of the existing EVs on the road.

abenga 4y ago
The grid doesn't have to be 100% green for it to be better than everyone burning gas in their cars. An electric car becomes greener as the grid becomes greener, a gas car is just as dirty today as it was last year.
- solardev 4y ago
  I fact-checked this and it turns out I was completely wrong, and I'm sorry. Even with the current grid mix, a typical all-electric car will on average be greener than a gasoline car after about 15,000 miles. Even if you're in a place where 100% of your electricity comes from coal, the electric would still beat out the gas car after 89,000 miles. So, it is like you said: It is already cleaner, and will get even cleaner as the grid improves. Thank you for the heads-up! I stand corrected :) ----- Sources... Breakeven points: https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/lifetime-carbon-emissions-electric-vehicles-vs-gasoline-cars-2021-06-29/?taid=60dadff1fdc7d30001f53a35 https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/lifeti... State-by-comparisons between electric, hybrid, and gas: https://afdc.energy.gov/vehicles/electric_emissions.html https://afdc.energy.gov/vehicles/electric_emissions.html