Hi all, As title says, I’d like to know if in your opinion electric vehicles are truly a sustainable solution that fits within the solarpunk vision (given the fact that a community exists here). I work in an urban agriculture association and spend time with engaged and activist people, and it’s pretty much accepted there that EVs are a big scam. What do you think and would you have any recommendations for me to form my own opinion on this topic, which I consider particularly important? Thank you!
Electric cars are better then combustion engine cars, but in many cases it would be a lot better not to use a car, but trains, cycling or walking.
Electric cars emit less CO2 emissions compared to an ICE car. The combination of electric motors easily turn 90% of the electricity into motion and batteries do not loose to much power for charging either. Combustion engines loose a lot of power due to heat and mechanical friction making them only 30% efficent in a car. It gets even worse as the petrol has to be refined, which again requires a lot of power, including electricity. That pretty much makes EVs better then ICE no matter the electricity mix, but especially with more renewables. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1110016823009055
The problem is that cars are incredibly inefficent themself. The car itself is heavy, so it obviously requires a lot more energy to move itself then say a bicycle. That is also true for systems like trains or busses, which carry a lot more people or cargo hence the energy per person or cargo is lower.
The other part urban planning. Cars take up a lot of space for parking and wide roads. That reduces density and meaning longer distances. Even worse they are a danger to pedestrians and cyclists. Public transport usually does stop at a station or stop rather then right at the final destination, so people usually walk. In other words cars are hostile to alternative forms of transport.
That being said there are usecases for cars, but much less then today.
I always like to say that the number of cars on the road should decrease by 90%. The other 10% accounts for every Edge case you can think of because if you look at the clogged freeways you don’t see masses of Paratransit Vans or people hauling furniture taking up all the space
It would help a lot if there are strict weight restrictions on cars and lower speed limits. Small cars, or also quadricycles, are much more energy efficient in construction and use. These already exist but get selling SUVs is more profitable.