Connect with us

Study Says Electric Cars Pollute More

(Credit: Nissan)

Latest Car News

Study Says Electric Cars Pollute More

2015 Nissan Leaf

2015 Nissan Leaf (Credit: Nissan)

A new study that was conducted by the National Bureau of Economic Research is stirring up some controversy. The study claims that in some circumstances electric cars might actually pollute more than those that are powered by gasoline.

It’s an argument that baffles some people. After all, there’s no tailpipe on an electric car, so how could it pollute? Anyone can smell the emissions coming from a car that burns gasoline, which are anything but pleasant. Even though electric vehicles don’t put off emissions per se, they can be responsible for spurring more air pollution.

The problem is that electric car users might be getting their electricity from some pretty dirty sources. In certain sections of the United States, coal is burned to produce the power that runs everything from refrigerators to dryers, and even to recharge a Tesla Model S, Nissan Leaf or any other fully-electric vehicle. The study says that in such a case, the person who drives an electric car is actually generating more pollutants.

Interestingly enough, the Midwest was cited as the worst place in the United States to own an electric car. Coal power plants are prevalent there, explaining why that is. Not surprisingly, the West Coast came in as the best region for driving an electric car, thanks to plenty of renewable energy sources that are generating electricity.

The economists who put together the study drew some other interesting conclusions. People who live in dense population centers and drive a vehicle powered by gasoline are doing more damage than people who burn gas and live in more rural areas.

This news shouldn’t cause someone to completely ditch the idea of getting a plug-in hybrid or fully-electric vehicle. Rather, it should make people think more actively about where their electricity comes from and how it’s affecting the world around them.

Continue Reading
You may also like...
7 Comments

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

More in Latest Car News

SPONSORED

Newsletter

Get Our StoriesIn Your Inbox

Subscribe for our latest news, reviews, and lists.

Popular Stories

Recent Posts

SPONSORED
To Top