Are hybrid and electric cars really that green?

John

It's tough to say, but experts seem to be very optimistic about both hybrid and fully electric cars. On the one hand you have the petroleum industry. Many places are suffering from oil spills and leakages, especially in third world countries. Add to that the pollution created by processing the petroleum into fuels like gasoline and diesel. Then those must be burned, and each car has to meet the emissions standards. Place a few old cars in a community that don't meet the new standard and you now have an extra source of pollution in that community. But electric cars aren't all pollution free either. Battery materials also cause pollution problems, and again mainly in third world countries. Then the electricity has to come from somewhere. The good things about electric cars is as they age and their batteries need to be replaced the batteries can and will be recycled. Eventually the need to mine battery materials may slow down or nearly cease. Also EV technology is the same technology that has the potential to make the switch from fuels like coal and natural gas to renewables like solar and wind. So all air emissions may one day cease all together with EV technology. And regardless of the age of your EV, as long as you don't try to generate your own electricity off of a fuel burning generator there's no chance it will no longer meet the emissions standards.

john

No. Don't get me wrong i like evs and prefer those above any other but both use as much if not more natural resources than fossil fuel. It's just one of those things. Cars are dirty filthy things. But in the last century morons have turned them into status symbols and now those morons have become addicted to them. That's life. If it bothers you maybe you should find a new interest.

Otis

I had a plug in hybrid car. It's official mpg was 150 but I generally got 35. I didn't care as the (company car) tax it saved me, (due to a dumb UK government) was like having free petrol.

Bubba Gubbins

They come in all colours.

GA41

Yea, it's the power plants that produce the electricity to run them that's not so green.

Happy Gramps

some are red, yellow, blue, etc .........not all are green