In summary, not only are battery electric vehicles still coming out ahead in terms of carbon emissions despite battery production emissions (which can be the equivalent to about 2,500 miles of ICE driving), they’re also paving a way forward for sustainable energy as a whole. Quote below.
Another point I always feel is overlooked: EV and battery production are always scrutinized MUCH more heavily for their manufacturing practices. But terribly dirty energy and awful conditions also are behind iPhones, televisions, diamonds, and plenty of other non-essential goods. Hell, even MANY components for ICE vehicles… I’d love to see major improvements, but to scrutinize one industry just because it’s trying to be progressive is a bit disingenuous.
From the article:
“When you add this up over hundreds of miles, even though the U.S. electric grid isn’t currently carbon-free and even when accounting for the initial emissions associated with manufacturing the battery, electric cars still emit less CO2 than gas-powered cars.2 This is a key feature, given that, within the United States, the transportation sector produces the largest share of greenhouse gas emissions—nearly one-third of the country’s total emissions.3
A second major environmental benefit these batteries could offer is energy grid stabilization, Shao-Horn adds. As the world moves towards renewable energy resources, like solar and wind power, demand grows for ways of storing and saving this energy. Using batteries to store solar and wind power when it’s plentiful can help solve one big problem of renewable energy—balancing oversupply and shortage when the weather isn’t ideal—making it much easier to switch from CO2-emitting fossil fuels.”
They come out ahead but they're still terrible.
Just because other things are also terrible doesn't really change anything.
They come out significantly ahead. Don't let perfect be the enemy of good.
Feel free to walk everywhere and do shit without electricity but most of us need at least some technology to function.
But they're not good, they are still terrible.
presumably different types of battery manufacturing processes emit differing levels of CO2 - there's six main types, after all
We need to be reducing the number of miles traveled.
That's not possible at all. I don't want to and won't stay within a small radius of my house. We drive all over the east coast for concerts and get aways and are contemplating a drive to Colorado next spring.
The only way to even attempt to reduce miles traveled by car or bus, etc is to get transporter tech working and that is probably not going to happen in our or our kids life times.
It's not a small feat to get cities redesigned to support walking, biking, etc. We need to be doing multiple things at once and moving away from burning dead dinosaurs and plant matter is the current most effective way to make a change for the climate and our comfort in the future.
There is no one right answer. Don't let perfect be the enemy of good.
It is certainly possible to reduce Vehicle Miles Traveled.
Here is a map of average VMT by different cities in the USA.
https://www.axios.com/local/philadelphia/2023/07/17/mileage-travel-annual
