Why electric cars are currently working against their stated environmental objectives, and what to d
Before you read further down I suggest that you watch this excellent animation: https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2015-whats-warming-the-world
/SSSSShhhhhhhhhhhhhhh That's the noise made by the car which almost hit me as I had not identified that it was passing by. A beautiful sedan. Made in USA.
Electric car owners believe that they currently help the planet fighting against global warming, GHG emissions, small particles etc, because they tank with a plug (no smell no spoils) and not a pistol.
This is currently wrong. And dangerous.
A Solution (amongst others):
If you are really concerned, you ought to ask your electricity provider to show you certificates of origin, and only source from those who like the EWZ -the guys who provide the Zurich canton's 1 million+ homes and industries with heat and power- can claim 100% renewable electricity.
If THEY can do it, your supplier can do it. That will contribute rising the demand for a while just aspiring more investments, even at low prices this is profitable business.
You might go one step further and invest your extra money that currently goes into your highly differentiating luxury electric vehicle partly or wholly in companies and projects involved in the generation of green electricity for one, and in the capture and transformation of CO2 for another.
The issue boils down to the management of concommitant investments with the purpose of developing both demand and offer simultaneously, using incentives and penalties (carrot and stick for those who were in the class when GW Bush was reading a book upside down, what a prowess)
Background information why electric cars pollute as much as traditional engines
A simple mass and energy balance shows that this will be the case WHEN the energy powering the cars will be essentially green (see the website of Zurich's industrial services, the guys who provide the canton's homes and industries with heat and power: they claim they source 100% green energy
https://www.ewz.ch/de/private.html.
It's feasible, even in the place of the Lafarge Holcim headquarters).
Traditional thermic engines value chain is:
extraction --->transport---> refining--->transport--->distribution ---> final transformation in heat and motion and gases
One barrel of oil is 317 kg CO2 equivalent, or say >400 g CO2 per kWhr used at the end of the chain when every yield is optimized.
For your electric car you have:
extraction --->transport---> refining--->transport---> burning to generate electricity, heat, GHGs ---> transportation ---> final transformation in heat and motion.
Currently in Europe a kWhr of electricity produces 500 gr CO2 (and this thanks to countries with heavy nuclear production like France whose CO2 cost is only 80 grams CO2 per kWhr). In China it's 800. In Germany 400, elsewhere ...... far too much.
Watch this excellent animation at bloomberg: https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2015-whats-warming-the-world/
With photovoltaic panels it's about 8 grams (depending the geographic location where they are installed). See an analysis of how this can contribute
Conclusion:
It's only when the electric engines will be fueled with renewable green electricity that the whole fallacy about electric cars will stop.
The issue boils down to a management of concommitant investments with the purpose of developing both demand and offer simultaneously.
In the mean time your electric vehicle pollutes as much as your traditional thermic engine (in ranges of powers of ten). The only difference being that you don't see it and therefore don't feel responsible.
Which is dangerous.
About me:
I currently head Foro Ventures a consultancy firm dedicated to top line growth and upstream marketing (80% of bottom line concerns are top line issues folks).
I lecture in Advanced Masters for Entrepreneurship, Marketing and Management of Energy, M&As both in business schools andd for private orgs.
I own an MSc from MIT in Chem Eng and an MBA from INSEAD
