Electric vehicles (EVs) are the new craze. Tesla, BMW, Chevrolet, Ford and many others are investing copious amounts of money into EV technology. Everyone seems to be onboard the EV train, except for me. I like EVs and I like the new technology that they’re bringing with them. But I don’t like where and how the U.S. gets its electricity now. After talking to EV owners, the majority of them are not concerned with how they get their electricity, but their lack of dependence on oil.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) our nation obtains electricity: 44.8% from coal, 24% from gas, 19.6% from nuclear energy, 6.2% from hydro and 4% from non-hydro renewables. Therefore, it’s safe to say that EVs in the U.S. are powered by something equally as bad as oil – coal.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) our nation obtains electricity: 44.8% from coal, 24% from gas, 19.6% from nuclear energy, 6.2% from hydro and 4% from non-hydro renewables. Therefore, it’s safe to say that EVs in the U.S. are powered by something equally as bad as oil – coal.
Automakers that sell EVs don’t focus on where electricity is coming from. The main focus is on the fact that we are no longer using dinosaur bones as fuel. Which is true, but there’s another huge guerilla in the room and his name is coal. By using EVs, we trade one type of fuel – dinosaur bones – for another – coal.
Turning coal from a black, lifeless, filthy rock, into something that is used for existence is nothing short of amazing. While coal is undoubtedly a wondrous item, gathering and harvesting its potential is not environmentally friendly, nor will it ever be.
So where does that leave the future of automobiles?
I wouldn’t put my money into EVs, just yet that is. It’s definitely a very promising future, but our dependence on coal needs to minimize in order for me to get on board. I would however put my money on hybrids.
Turning coal from a black, lifeless, filthy rock, into something that is used for existence is nothing short of amazing. While coal is undoubtedly a wondrous item, gathering and harvesting its potential is not environmentally friendly, nor will it ever be.
So where does that leave the future of automobiles?
I wouldn’t put my money into EVs, just yet that is. It’s definitely a very promising future, but our dependence on coal needs to minimize in order for me to get on board. I would however put my money on hybrids.
Instead of completely ending our dependence on oil, hybrids slowly minimize our use of oil, giving us precious time to find another resource to deplete. Hybrid vehicles also have an enormous leg up on EVs – range. EVs are limited to an immutable amount of miles they can cover in one charge. Hybrids, on the other hand, are capable of continuing their journey without having to stop for electricity.
Yes, hybrids do need to fill up on fuel, but that takes approximately five minutes or less, depending on your fuel tank. EVs can take hours to charge, hours, and even then it may not be fully charged. I hate filling up the tank, but waiting hours for one charge seems even worse. For the current generations, hybrids are the best bet to actually going green, for the generations to follow, who knows? Maybe hydrogen is the next big thing, but its not electricity, at least for now.
Yes, hybrids do need to fill up on fuel, but that takes approximately five minutes or less, depending on your fuel tank. EVs can take hours to charge, hours, and even then it may not be fully charged. I hate filling up the tank, but waiting hours for one charge seems even worse. For the current generations, hybrids are the best bet to actually going green, for the generations to follow, who knows? Maybe hydrogen is the next big thing, but its not electricity, at least for now.