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You aren't more environmentally friendly, in less than 2 years an EV is net positive https://www.tesla.com/impact https://www.tesla.com/impact (see page 22) A

You aren't more environmentally friendly, in less than 2 years an EV is net positive https://www.tesla.com/impact https://www.tesla.com/impact (see page 22) And that's not even mentioning that in 20 years we won't be mining materials out of the ground anymore, will just be recycling existing battery materials

explaininjs 3y ago
Parent stated they drive a Prius, which is not the "standard EV" that article mentions. They slate 24mpg, which is laughable: that's around what my old gas guzzling V8 got, and they call it the norm? The Prius gets high 40's easily. But it's a EV fluff piece published by "the EV company", one can't expect scientific integrity. In fact, reading through the lines of Tesla's own fluff piece, in places like China the Prius is net-environmentally positive even year by year as compared to the Model 3. China has the most emissions of any country, so that's a pretty big caveat to simply ignore. But again, fluff piece by the fluff company.
sndean 3y ago
OP continuing to drive a 20-year-old car (of any kind, not just a hybrid) is likely more environmentally friendly than buying a new car every few years. They're doing the reduce part of "reduce, reuse, recycle." A long-lasting, low-maintenance hybrid has a good argument for being very environmentally friendly.
- _aavaa_ 3y ago
  > OP continuing to drive a 20-year-old car (of any kind, not just a hybrid) is likely more environmentally friendly than buying a new car every few years. Sure, but that isn't the comparison here. Buying a new EV and then holding on to it for 20 years will be even more environmentally friendly.
- calfuris 3y ago
  Combustion-powered vehicles are something of an exception, because only a small fraction of their pollution is associated with their creation. Buying a new car every few years probably isn't optimal, but operating an ICE vehicle for decades probably isn't optimal either.
  - coderenegade 3y ago
    In Brazil, cars run on ethanol. Emissions associated with combustion of the fuel are zero. It's not the ICE bit that's a problem, it's the fossil fuel part.
blackoil 3y ago
1. Conflict of interest. Is there any alternative report? 2. 2 years is vague, do we have it in kms? 3. Which car is it against? How does it compare with Prius 2024? Also, how much investment in renewables is because of EVs? If we had 0 EVs and same renewables, coal/oil/gas generated electricity would have gone down by what is now consumed by EVs.
seadan83 3y ago
The break-even depends on the source of electricity, which in turn depends on Geography. If the electricity is from coal, the break-even is after 5 years; even then, the lifetime emission of the EV is not even 10% less than that of the conventional gas car. If the electricity is from hydro and other 100% non-fossil fuel renewables, than the break-even is even shorter, under a year, and over the lifetime the emissions are about 70%~80% less overall (and the longer the car is driven compared to a conventional gas car, more than 13 years, the greater the reduction in lifetime emissions) All data from this source: https://www.reuters.com/graphics/ELECTRIC-VEHICLES/EMISSIONS/rlgpdrmjmpo/chart.png https://www.reuters.com/graphics/ELECTRIC-VEHICLES/EMISSIONS... (Full webpage, for context: https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/when-do-electric-vehicles-become-cleaner-than-gasoline-cars-2021-06-29/ https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/when-d...)

explaininjs 3y ago

Parent stated they drive a Prius, which is not the "standard EV" that article mentions. They slate 24mpg, which is laughable: that's around what my old gas guzzling V8 got, and they call it the norm? The Prius gets high 40's easily. But it's a EV fluff piece published by "the EV company", one can't expect scientific integrity. In fact, reading through the lines of Tesla's own fluff piece, in places like China the Prius is net-environmentally positive even year by year as compared to the Model 3. China has the most emissions of any country, so that's a pretty big caveat to simply ignore. But again, fluff piece by the fluff company.

sndean 3y ago

OP continuing to drive a 20-year-old car (of any kind, not just a hybrid) is likely more environmentally friendly than buying a new car every few years. They're doing the reduce part of "reduce, reuse, recycle." A long-lasting, low-maintenance hybrid has a good argument for being very environmentally friendly.

_aavaa_ 3y ago
> OP continuing to drive a 20-year-old car (of any kind, not just a hybrid) is likely more environmentally friendly than buying a new car every few years. Sure, but that isn't the comparison here. Buying a new EV and then holding on to it for 20 years will be even more environmentally friendly.
calfuris 3y ago
Combustion-powered vehicles are something of an exception, because only a small fraction of their pollution is associated with their creation. Buying a new car every few years probably isn't optimal, but operating an ICE vehicle for decades probably isn't optimal either.
- coderenegade 3y ago
  In Brazil, cars run on ethanol. Emissions associated with combustion of the fuel are zero. It's not the ICE bit that's a problem, it's the fossil fuel part.

blackoil 3y ago

1. Conflict of interest. Is there any alternative report? 2. 2 years is vague, do we have it in kms? 3. Which car is it against? How does it compare with Prius 2024? Also, how much investment in renewables is because of EVs? If we had 0 EVs and same renewables, coal/oil/gas generated electricity would have gone down by what is now consumed by EVs.

seadan83 3y ago

The break-even depends on the source of electricity, which in turn depends on Geography. If the electricity is from coal, the break-even is after 5 years; even then, the lifetime emission of the EV is not even 10% less than that of the conventional gas car. If the electricity is from hydro and other 100% non-fossil fuel renewables, than the break-even is even shorter, under a year, and over the lifetime the emissions are about 70%~80% less overall (and the longer the car is driven compared to a conventional gas car, more than 13 years, the greater the reduction in lifetime emissions) All data from this source: https://www.reuters.com/graphics/ELECTRIC-VEHICLES/EMISSIONS/rlgpdrmjmpo/chart.png https://www.reuters.com/graphics/ELECTRIC-VEHICLES/EMISSIONS... (Full webpage, for context: https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/when-do-electric-vehicles-become-cleaner-than-gasoline-cars-2021-06-29/ https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/when-d...)