Electric cars are not pollution-free, unless you have your own pollution-free power source. Depending on how an area gets its power, electric cars can actually be more polluting than petroleum. If fossil fuels are used to make the electricity, then there will be inefficiencies and losses in the power plant and in the power transmission. In that case, it can be more efficient to burn the fossil fuels in the vehicle. There is still a benefit to electric cars, though. Their pollution becomes centralized, and easier to contain; and the pollution it produced outside the city, rather than on the streets where people live.The east coast is in such a situation. The west coast is more likely to have solar, wind, and hydro power; so, electric cars are effectively cleaner there.
(Click on the map for the link.)
“There Are Places Where Electric Cars Pollute More Than Gas Guzzlers” – Mother Jones
