Electric Cars: A Greener Mobility Choice - Debunking Diesel_MYTHS

Introduction: A Deceptive Dichotomy

Hahahaha! No! That's ridiculous. The emission numbers for an electric car are of course all zeroes. There is no way to do better than zero. But - of course, we have to consider where the electricity came from to drive the electric car - and where the diesel came from to drive the diesel car.

Where the Fuel/Electricity Came From

Of course, for an electric car, the total end-to-end pollution depends on the source of the electricity - and that depends on where you operate it. In some countries, such as India, a significant percentage of their electricity is generated from coal, which produces a lot of nasty pollutants. However, other countries, like Iceland, generate 100% of their electricity from zero-pollution renewables. But let's just consider Europe, since we're talking about a European car standard.

In the UK in 2019, approximately 39% of electricity came from coal, oil, and gas - the remaining 61% from carbon-neutral sources. In Germany in 2014, about 40% of the electricity came from coal and gas. I presume that's gotten smaller, but it's not an unreasonable number to go with.

So roughly 60% of the electricity going into an electric car is 100% clean. The other 40% - not so much so. But the thing that almost everyone forgets is that the same problem of the source of their fuel exists for gasoline and diesel vehicles. Their fuel comes from oil refineries, which consume vast amounts of energy - almost all of which they make by burning a part of the crude oil that they're refining.

Crude oil is an even nastier pollutant than coal, and the efficiency of electric power stations is much better than for oil refineries. It takes an average of 5 kilowatt hours to refine one gallon of diesel fuel, which is enough to drive a Tesla 20 miles. A modern electric car can drive 20 miles on just the energy used to refine a gallon of diesel fuel!

The Manufacturing Process

Then, if we include the pollution in pumping the oil to the refinery and the cost of putting the diesel into a truck and driving it to the gas station, it only gets worse. Since 100% of the energy used to manufacture the diesel fuel is polluting, while only 40% of the electricity for an EV is polluting, we should really multiply that 20 miles by at least a factor of 2.5. An electric car can drive 50 miles before the energy used to power it produces more pollutants than refining a gallon of diesel fuel.

Conclusion: A Comparative Analysis

So before you've even started driving the diesel car, the electric car is already 50 miles ahead of you. If your diesel car does less than 50 miles per gallon (mpg), then no matter how good the car's emissions controls are, it cannot possibly catch up.

If You Ignore Where the Fuel Comes From

If you ignore where the fuel comes from, an electric car produces zero pollution, and any Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) car, especially a diesel, produces a lot. So, the electric car is literally infinitely less polluting.

Consider the Source and Efficiency

When you include where the fuel/electricity comes from and you should then before you even consider how efficient your diesel engine is, the electric car can drive over 40 miles and produce less end-to-end emissions than it takes just to make the diesel fuel. The idea that any internal combustion engine can be better than an electric car is flat out ludicrous.

Ultimately, the choice between a diesel and an electric car depends on a variety of factors, from personal preferences to environmental concerns. While both types of vehicles have their pros and cons, the clear trend is towards cleaner, more sustainable energy solutions. As technology advances and infrastructure develops, the benefits of electric vehicles will only become more apparent and accessible.