Even in 2023, we keep getting comments like these - '‘Electric cars use electricity which is generated by burning coal. They are worse than petrol cars."
Either people who make such statements are misguided or they are EV FUD creators. In this article, we will document some important facts that debunk this statement with facts and sources.
Either people who make such statements are misguided or they are EV FUD creators. In this article, we will document some important facts that debunk this statement with facts and sources.
There are lots of auto 'journalists' and random YouTubers who still talk about electric cars and coal power. It's hard to believe at this stage of the game, in 2023, anyone still believes that old red herring - about coal and electric vehicles. It's has been proven again and again that fuelling an electric car/scooter with electricity produced from coal power plants is still cleaner, cheaper and more efficient than using petrol or diesel.
Nevertheless here are important facts that will once and for all settle this thing.
Ultimately Petroleum mining, refining, burning petrol in cars is far worse. If you care about kids, people’s health, and human rights the OIL industry is way worse than the Battery industry. Again our esteemed auto journalists and random YouTubers does not talk about all the health issues caused by driving fossil fuel vehicles. [7]
References
Nevertheless here are important facts that will once and for all settle this thing.
- As per the study from Union Of Concerned Scientists, USA, it shows EV’s even if powered by electricity generated by coal emit 50% less emissions [1] We even had a grid expert and a professor in India who crunched some numbers for the Indian grid and we found that EV’s emit way less emissions compared to ICE vehicles [2]
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Fossil fuel consumption in a power plant is way more efficient compared to in an internal combustion engine of a car. The car engine is tuned for performance and not efficiency. A power plant is tuned for efficiency. As per research from Science Direct, a petrol engine is 25% efficient coal power plants are 38%–45% efficient [3]
- Even if we discard all renewable energy, tailpipe emissions from petrol and diesel vehicles cause pollution in our cities, where we live. The emissions from power plants are easily controlled as it is a single source and we can scrub the air more efficiently and usually power plants are far from population centers. So using petrol and diesel vehicles in cities is a terrible idea and using EV’s in cities is a great idea!
- We also have many people in the EV Community who install solar panels at their homes and that is a true 100% renewable electricity car. An ICE car can never offer true zero emissions. By every metric EV’s are better. Some state governments have started to set up 7.5 KW AC type 2 chargers powered by Solar. [4]
- Talking about coal power, the corollary is also true, it takes a lot of electricity to make petrol or diesel. So petrol and diesel cars run on electricity. No one talks about that.
This is an old video done by the Fully Charged Show that illustrates this point.- EV cynics or random YouTubers do not care to talk about how petrol and diesel cars are ultimately powered by Coal!
- In terms of health consequences, most people who drive petrol cars don't think about health consequences. Being exposed to oil refineries and breathing in air from pollution caused by petrol and diesel cars in our cities results in leukemia, cancers, brain development issues, respiratory issues. In terms of children's development, they see development delays and lead to neurological problems. According to an article in the International Journal of Environmental Research & Public Health published in April 2021, Air pollution is involved in 6.7 million deaths worldwide and most air pollution in cities is caused by petrol and diesel vehicles. [5]
- Thanks to Adani Electricity’s and Tata Power’s green electricity efforts our homes can run on 100% renewable electricity and so do our EVs. It costs us approx INR 500/- p. m. to run them both.
- 40% of India's electricity s generated by renewable energy. Your electric vehicle will get cleaner in time. Nothing of that sort will happen with petrol cars. They will always remain dirty and dangerous for human health. [6]
Ultimately Petroleum mining, refining, burning petrol in cars is far worse. If you care about kids, people’s health, and human rights the OIL industry is way worse than the Battery industry. Again our esteemed auto journalists and random YouTubers does not talk about all the health issues caused by driving fossil fuel vehicles. [7]
References
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Driving Cleaner - How Electric Cars and Pick-Ups Beat Gasoline on Lifetime Global Warming Emissions (Union Of Concerned Scientists)
https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/driving-cleaner
https://www.ucsusa.org/sites/default/files/attach/2015/11/Cleaner-Cars-from-Cradle-to-Grave-full-report.pdf -
A Grid expert and a professor in India who crunched some numbers for the Indian grid - EV’s emit way less emissions
www.pluginindia.com/blogs/calculating-well-to-wheel-efficiency-of-electric-vehicles - Power plant efficiencies & EV efficiencies
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/power-generation-efficiency
https://i0.wp.com/cleantechnica.com/files/2020/06/most-efficient-automobiles.png - Real Life EV Story: Solar Powered Tigor EV
https://youtu.be/233jTFr-Fe4
Tata Nexon EV : Run on the Sun | Solar EV Charging at Apartments
https://youtu.be/qrKhvDvRVOA - Health Issues caused by OIL Refining & Air Pollution in cities.
https://blogs.edf.org/texascleanairmatters/2014/08/21/now-is-the-time-to-protect-our-children-from-the-dangers-of-oil-refineries/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8071463/
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2008940117 - India Electricity Generation By Source
https://powermin.gov.in/en/content/power-sector-glance-all-india
https://www.investindia.gov.in/sector/renewable-energy - The Dirty Truth of Petrol & Diesel Vehicles
https://www.pluginindia.com/blogs/the-dirty-truth-of-petrol-diesel-vehicles
Watch out video - Here is why Electric Vehicles ARE the Future - Regulations, Coal, Pollution
