From Guest Blogger Christopher Austin: Electric Vehicle or Plug-in Hybrid–Which One Is Really Clean and Green?

Electricity generated for your car is considered clean provided that the method used to make that energy is also eco-friendly. Electric cars and electricity are clean at the using point. But then again, coal fired power plants make fingers to wag, which is not necessarily clean. Some experts argue that electric vehicles claiming to be “clean” are not actually clean because the coal generates the electricity; and coal is particularly dirty. Clean electricity is free of pollutants at the using point, which means that electric cars don’t feature a tailpipe. These vehicles emit no carbon or any kind of pollutants.

A lot of people invest in electric cars because of this fact alone. Deciding to pay a premium price for an electric car basically means that you’re investing in a cleaner future for the planet. However if electric vehicles are firing dirty coal, this means that we’re fooling ourselves. Environmentally conscious drivers and car aficionados are turning their attention to plug-in hybrids. Why are hybrids so appreciated?

Electric cars feature cleaner fuel that car with a gas engine

In the US, some electric cars function with coal-power electricity. This means they’re a lot cleaner than vehicles that run on gas only. Several studies have been performed on Indian and Chinese markets; the results showed that due to their weak environmental protection, most electric vehicles run on “dirty electricity”. Basically, this means that the coal used is dirty, thus making these cars less eco-friendly than car on gas.

Heavy-duty building process of electric cars

Electric car manufacturers are heavily criticized for the heavy-duty manufacturing of such vehicles. The building process is incredibly time-consuming, not to mention that the resources required abound (energy and minerals). Back in 2012, a report published by the UCS compared the cost factors of climate change emission footprints of both gas and electric vehicles. The results of the research showed that the intensity of greenhouse emissions vary when different electricity sources are used. It is clear enough that wind power and solar energy are the best to general electricity; however, in the case of electric vehicles the making of one car is not exactly “green”.

Electric engines vs. gasoline engines

When it comes to gas-powered cars, increased fuel efficiency means that less gasoline is burned/mile; a fuel sipper of 40 miles/gallon is cleaner than a gas hog with 18 miles/gallon. But then again, the fuel used in electric cars is not measured in gallons. So how can we compare the green gas effect? The initial step is to evaluate the impact of the greenhouse gas when charging an electric car using an electric source; then the impact must be compared against a vehicle using gasoline.

Solar and wind power to produce energy for electric-powered vehicles

Solar and wind power are preferable over natural gas in many niches, not just auto. Even though these options are an intermittent source of energy, the issue can be easily fixed with a grid storage system to maintain the energy production. As a matter of fact, this is a role manufacturers want electric vehicles to play. Electric cars that are parked can be considered a serious electrical storage system providing that they’re hooked to the power grid. Manufacturers have high hopes for electric vehicles. The technology is still under development and the prices will soon become price-competitive.

Should you invest in a hybrid or an electric car?

Hybrid cars are exactly what the name suggests – a hybrid, meaning a vehicle that is plugged in. Chevrolet Volt, Cadillas ELR, Lexus CT Hybrid with its Lexus spare parts, and Toyotal Prius Plug-In are just some examples. In essence, these vehicles run on 2 powertrains – gas and electric. When the electric engine is consumed, the vehicle switches to gasoline. On the other hand, we have fully-electric vehicles. Most popular examples are Tesla Model S, Ford Focus Electric, and Nissan Leaf. These run on an electric engine and they don’t have a backup.

Are electric vehicles more eco-friendly than hybrids? Yes, because they don’t feature a second engine that runs on gasoline. Those looking to minimize carbon footprint and really “go green” should definitely choose an electric car. Last but not least, full-electric vehicle are more affordable and they’re cheaper to maintain since there’s no need for driver to fill them with gas.