By Charlie Randall, Contributing Writer
Electric cars, once a joking point in the automobile world, have now revolutionized the car industry with models like the Tesla S, being seen as a green alternative to driving cars and giving someone the prestige points of ‘helping to save the world.’
While that is well and good, there are several details that lie beneath the surface of driving a car that is purely electric, and these details show that driving a Tesla or any other electric car isn’t the greatest thing for the environment.
First, it comes at no secret that electric cars have fewer emissions out of their tailpipe simply because they do not burn gasoline, instead they are powered by electricity. However, if you dig deeper as to what powers the electric grid, 40% of this electricity nationwide is powered by burning coal which is not great for the environment.
Approximately 20% is from burning natural gas, which is an improvement on coal, but still an emission of greenhouse gas. So, assume one is driving their Tesla in a state like Ohio where most of the grid is powered by burning coal. Comparing the emissions of driving a Tesla approximately 40 miles a day to a small gas-powered sedan, which is essentially the car given up to drive a Tesla, one emits the same level of carbon dioxide. This does not apply to states that do not burn coal as a primary way of getting their energy, so California cars, congrats! You’re still green, but not for long.
Piggybacking on this emissions issue, the Tesla S runs on a very intricately and uniquely designed battery, this battery contains several elements that need to be mined in order to obtain them. So, somewhere along the chain of distribution, there are large gas-guzzling machines unearthing these minerals and heavy boats that burn fuel like a teenager through the $20 borrowed from mom. These materials are not unearthed by green Tesla mining equipment, nor are they shipped by green Tesla boats and planes, so add that extra emission to the equation and it comes at no shock to see that each Tesla is not as green as once thought.
Now, this is not to say that a Tesla is “worse” for the environment than a gas-powered vehicle, but it is important to stay aware of what lies beneath the surface. Driving a Tesla (or other electric cars) has around the same emissions per year as small sedans like the Chevy Cruze or Honda Civic at more than 3X the cost.
If energy were cleaner and produced by mostly renewable resources like hydroelectricity, the Tesla would be leaps and bounds greener than gas-powered cars, however, it is not. Unfortunately for current Tesla owners, you are not saving the world just yet, instead you may be at best symbolizing the good that is yet to come with greener ways of producing energy.
randalco18@bonaventure.edu
