Do EV's actually do anything beneficial for the planet? - eviltoast

I’ve seen a lot of posts here on Lemmy, specifically in the “fuck cars” communities as to how Electric Vehicles do pretty much nothing for the Climate, but I continue to see Climate activists everywhere try pushing so, so hard for Electric Vehicles.

Are they actually beneficial to the planet other than limiting exhaust, or is that it? or maybe exhaust is a way bigger problem?

  • Paragone@lemmy.world
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    10 months ago

    Even looking only at the healthcare costs of the exhaust-induced unhealth, you see massive economic benefit.

    It’s the old star-topology vs decentralized-mesh-topology question…

    It is much more efficient to have 1 giant windmill, rather-than a zillion little ones.

    It is much more efficient to have electric-trams than the number of cars required to move the same number of people.

    As for electric-cars vs internal-combustion-engine-cars, the relocation-of-cost from always buying gasoline, to just plugging-in at night, is something that many people have openly adored.

    The Engineering Explained yt channel bluntly stated that if you’re in the city, it’s a no-brainer.

    Rurally, or in the arctic, you can be screwed, however.

    I’ve no idea what the equation is for how much exhaust per mile-driven is produced, between

    • star-topology fuel-burning electric-grid powered cars
    • mesh/distributed-topology of the same number of I.C.E. cars

    but it wouldn’t surprise me if it is significantly more efficient, just due to getting the maintenance up to industrial standards.

    ( sloppy maintenance costs, and some companies push sloppy maintenance, not changing oil frequently enough, e.g. in order to produce engine-wear, forcing required-replacement.

    Some yt mechanics call-out this practice. )

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