Debates have raged for years over whether electric vehicles are really better for the environment than old-school ones with internal combustion engines.
Often taking the form of harried Facebook posts or Twitter polemics, gas defenders argue that the environmental impact of the typical EV — from mining the metals used to make the lithium-ion batteries to charging the thing before a drive — far outweighs the footprint of a gasoline powered vehicle. EV heads, of course, maintain that because they don’t burn fossil fuels, electric cars have a much smaller impact on the environment than the alternative.
Now, a new study out of MIT has wormed its way into the fracas. It might not put internet flame wars to rest, but it does provide compelling evidence that EVs, not gas guzzlers, genuinely are the better choice for the environmentally-conscious car owner.
First flagged by Jalopnik, the MIT paper takes a look at the overall emissions generated by various types of vehicles, comparing the footprint of internal combustion engines (ICEVs) to plug-in hybrid (PHEVs) and battery vehicles (BEVs). While the researchers found that mileage varies wildly based on the conditions a vehicle operates under, in most locations, BEVs save “40 to 60 percent of emissions compared to ICEVs.”
“The electricity mix is the most important contributor to these regional variations, leading to more uniform and greater emissions reductions if the electricity supply decarbonizes,” the study’s authors write. “Regional driving patterns mean that PHEVs achieve 80 percent to 90 percent of the emissions savings of BEVs in urban areas and 60 percent in rural areas, assuming regular charging.”
Translation: whether you power your EV with coal-fired electricity or electricity from a renewable source does make a difference, but either case is better for the Earth than driving a gas-powered car.
This latest bit of research adds to years of evidence showing EVs leave a lighter impression on the planet. So if you’re still drawn to the growl of a combustion engine, own it — just don’t try to hide behind some false concern for the environment.
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