Jonathan Schofield2d ago

EVs are made with metals smelted with ~2 tonnes of coal, making about 4 tonnes of CO2. The coal is transported with diesel derived from oil. Which is extracted with steel. Which is made with coal.

EVs use fewer resources over their lifetime than infernal-combustion. So that’s good, assuming all the oil products they rely upon throughout their lifetime (e.g. bitumen) continue to flow.

But we’re probably past peak diesel. Perhaps we can examine our predicament more fully?

#climateDiary #iran

Show threadEF2d ago
@urlyman it irks me when people claim EVs are green. Getting rid of a slightly used ICE powered car for an EV is far from green. Buying an EV is not green. EVs use rarer metals and toxins to process them. My 20 year old diesel to do less than 1000 miles per annum is far less polluting.
Show threadSteph5h ago
@EF @urlyman You're so right! The whole EV thing is greenwashing to a huge extent.
On average, an EV takes 10 yrs of use to 'break even' in its carbon footprint, taking into consideration its entire cradle to grave lifespan.
Teslas have about a 10 yr lifespan (cheaply made, 10 yr design fail), sorry greenies who think they're reducing their carbon footprint.
Other brands' EVs may do better, good advances are being made. The well maintained older ICE car still has a smaller carbon footprint.
Show threadJonathan Schofield

@Stevie63 I want to be clear. Given where we are, I’m not knocking “the whole EV thing”. We have just-in-time distribution systems founded on internal combustion engines that pollute awfully and, crucially, run on one-time resources that will soon become unaffordable.

We have to do *something* to re-engineer how stuff gets to us, while we learn how to step down the energy ladder.

A big problem is we’re doing essentially nothing to reduce demand.

@EF

10:29amWeb
Show threadJonathan Schofield4h ago

@Stevie63 having an old ICE car doesn’t address the predicament of what happens when oil and its derivatives become intermittent and unaffordable.

But it’s also true that having an EV built with hydrocarbon inputs is just differently vulnerable to the same challenge

@EF

Show threadEF3h ago

@urlyman @Stevie63 agree. If there is a genuine need to change a car, EV is probably the right choice. To replace a perfectly useable newish car, the argument is less persuesive in the the destruction of the old car and creation of the new are the most environmentally damaging aspects.

For me, trying to reduce car use is the greenest thing I can do.