Electric Cars Using Dirty Electricity Obviously Pollute

Unless you’ve been snoozing this week, you will have noticed the suspicious bad rap around electric cars. Unfortunately, this is what we’ve come to expect from the press these days, sensational headlines, warped titles that capture eyeballs and justify advertizing. So what is the deal behind the new push on electric cars polluting more than gas cars?

Dirty Energy Pollutes. No matter where you go on this planet, one constant will always be true, dirty energy pollutes. What we mean by dirty energy is creating electricity by burning coal, petroleum or CNG. China has enjoyed tremendous growth in a fairly small amount of time and pollution standards were never high on the list. An article in India claimed electric cars polluted more than gas cars, and a new wave of sensationalism engulf yet another media frenzy.

Clean Electricity. The push for clean electricity is crucial for countries. It assures national security by creating abundant and renewable energy domestically, instead of relying on other countries to determine energy costs. While most of our electricity in the US is coal based, there is a strong move toward alternative, cleaner energies, solar, wind, geo-thermal and the grand daddy of them all, plentiful hydro-energy.

Driving On Clean Electrons. EV groups and associations are quick to point out at the growing trend of electric car drivers who use their own solar panels to power their EVs and plug-in hybrids. The same can be done with wind turbines and hydro, if you live near water. At this stage, astute readers will see the white elephant in the room. How do governments and big corporations make money on alternative energy? While in the US, one half of the government prepares for the inevitable alternative energy era, the other tries to squeeze as much mileage out of the petroleum industry by scaring consumers away from electric cars. It’s a tug of war and as usual, consumers are caught in the middle.

Solar panel companies are leasing PV panels to consumers and installation costs have drastically come down these past few years. Utilities like Southern California Edison are working on alternative energy and energy conservation already boosting 14% clean. In other words, there are more solutions than problems with the current state of technology.

In the end, electric cars can contribute to pollution IF they use dirty energy. They also contribute to healthier communities when they use clean, renewable energy. In the meantime, China is doing its best to clean up its dirty energy problems and until then, electric cars in China will contribute to global pollution, while electric cars using alternative pollute drastically less than their gas equivalent.