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It's an interesting look from someone claiming to believe that climate change is one of the biggest threats to humanity. Better get those expensive developers w

It's an interesting look from someone claiming to believe that climate change is one of the biggest threats to humanity. Better get those expensive developers working from the office again so they keep buying expensive electric cars...

SQueeeeeL 4y ago
Isn't the Hyperloop regularly derided by those in the environmental community for distracting from more useful/environmentally sustainable transit solutions. Tesla also bifurcated the charger ports on the market, which has slowed adoption of EV chargers by businesses. Definitely a more complicated relationship than a surface level analysis would imply
- afiori 4y ago
  > Tesla also bifurcated the charger ports on the market Not to defend Elon practices in general, but I believe Tesla chargers precede the standard ports in the US (and possibly in the EU) I do not know whether Elon refused to open the standard or whether that was even considered. the youTube channel Common Sense Skeptic has eloquent criticisms with little fluff: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgKWj1pn3_7hRSFIypunYog https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgKWj1pn3_7hRSFIypunYog
bmitc 4y ago
I saw a stat recently that an electric car removes about as much emissions as a meter of road adds. Electric cars are the most overblown response to climate change. They will help in a myopic way when comparing directly to combustion cars over several years (electric cars only start to save emissions somewhere between them being driven 6-24 months into their ownership), but I doubt it's much more than that and even possibly a net increase in emissions in terms of furthering the dominance of the car. Elon Musk doesn't care about anything other than his ego.
- VBprogrammer 4y ago
  I think there are many many good reasons for electric cars. Climate change is quite far down the list though. That said, today I went into the office in central London for the first time in a while and was kind of shocked. While crossing the road to get a burrito I was consciously keeping track of the electric cars which went past. It felt like every other car. Then I got on the electric bus back to the train station and passed the drop off point for what must of been close to a hundred Lime electric bikes. There is a palpable change and I for one think it's exciting. It's just a shame Elon is such a, ahem, character.
  - janef0421 4y ago
    Electric cars are good if you actually need a car, but we currently use cars in far more situations than really need them. Shifting away from cars where they aren't needed will be far more effective than replacing gas cars with electric.
    - erehweb 4y ago
      The most climate-friendly car is a bike. (As I feel someone said, but I can't find a reference)
    - VBprogrammer 4y ago
      I don't see why those are mutually exclusive. Replacing ICE cars with electric and using other forms of transportation when it is appropriate both are important. I actually think the rise in electric personal transportation (bikes, scooters and weird balancing contraptions etc) could be a bigger game changer than electric cars especially within cities.
      - janef0421 4y ago
        They aren't, but our focus should be on mode shift, since it is a more efficient use of resources.
MetaWhirledPeas 4y ago
Let's not pretend his goal was to sell more cars; that's ridiculous. But to your point, he's always seemed to have this philosophy that climate mitigation doesn't have to be a compromise. In his vision of the future we do all the things we do now and more, but we do them better.
ncr100 4y ago
Yes and this shows how he is narrowly smart, like all us humans

SQueeeeeL 4y ago

Isn't the Hyperloop regularly derided by those in the environmental community for distracting from more useful/environmentally sustainable transit solutions. Tesla also bifurcated the charger ports on the market, which has slowed adoption of EV chargers by businesses. Definitely a more complicated relationship than a surface level analysis would imply

afiori 4y ago
> Tesla also bifurcated the charger ports on the market Not to defend Elon practices in general, but I believe Tesla chargers precede the standard ports in the US (and possibly in the EU) I do not know whether Elon refused to open the standard or whether that was even considered. the youTube channel Common Sense Skeptic has eloquent criticisms with little fluff: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgKWj1pn3_7hRSFIypunYog https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgKWj1pn3_7hRSFIypunYog

bmitc 4y ago

I saw a stat recently that an electric car removes about as much emissions as a meter of road adds. Electric cars are the most overblown response to climate change. They will help in a myopic way when comparing directly to combustion cars over several years (electric cars only start to save emissions somewhere between them being driven 6-24 months into their ownership), but I doubt it's much more than that and even possibly a net increase in emissions in terms of furthering the dominance of the car. Elon Musk doesn't care about anything other than his ego.

VBprogrammer 4y ago
I think there are many many good reasons for electric cars. Climate change is quite far down the list though. That said, today I went into the office in central London for the first time in a while and was kind of shocked. While crossing the road to get a burrito I was consciously keeping track of the electric cars which went past. It felt like every other car. Then I got on the electric bus back to the train station and passed the drop off point for what must of been close to a hundred Lime electric bikes. There is a palpable change and I for one think it's exciting. It's just a shame Elon is such a, ahem, character.
- janef0421 4y ago
  Electric cars are good if you actually need a car, but we currently use cars in far more situations than really need them. Shifting away from cars where they aren't needed will be far more effective than replacing gas cars with electric.
  - erehweb 4y ago
    The most climate-friendly car is a bike. (As I feel someone said, but I can't find a reference)
  - VBprogrammer 4y ago
    I don't see why those are mutually exclusive. Replacing ICE cars with electric and using other forms of transportation when it is appropriate both are important. I actually think the rise in electric personal transportation (bikes, scooters and weird balancing contraptions etc) could be a bigger game changer than electric cars especially within cities.
    - janef0421 4y ago
      They aren't, but our focus should be on mode shift, since it is a more efficient use of resources.

MetaWhirledPeas 4y ago

Let's not pretend his goal was to sell more cars; that's ridiculous. But to your point, he's always seemed to have this philosophy that climate mitigation doesn't have to be a compromise. In his vision of the future we do all the things we do now and more, but we do them better.

ncr100 4y ago

Yes and this shows how he is narrowly smart, like all us humans