[hkollar]

Originally Posted by svdath

I dont think any electric car is good for environment. It is a myth. There are batteries in the electric cars that have lead in them. Disposing lead is next to impossible as it is one of the most non degradable metals around. We would end up with more and more lead poisoning which is far more dangerous to our environment than the carbon footprint of any of the existing petrol or diesel cars

Lead, lithium are certainly deadly chemicals. But, so is Plastic - a highly carcinogenic compound. Modern living is full of high polution. The soap we use at home also pollutes. The trick is to contain the pollution, rather than stopping adopting technology.

In most developed countries they have recycling programs. Even in India you shouldn't dispose of a used lithium-ion battery in a unscientific way. You should drop it for electronic recycling.

Lithium/Lead-Acid can be recycled well.

[hkollar]

Originally Posted by dustom_99

How do you explain this statement? How are they good for enviornment?

EVs are good for the environment in many ways, even if you leave out clean energy.

Most important factor is they stop retail emissions, and transfer them back to wholesale emission points (generating stations). It is far easier to control emissions in generation stations, than in cars/bikes.

[pganapathy]

If you take the overall pollution of a new EV as opposed to a new IC engined car, the EV will have lesser pollution over it's entire life. The production of an IC car may produce less pollution due to the battery requirements of the EV but the regular use of petroleum is where it makes up on the IC car. Power stations definitely are more efficient at converting fossil fuels into power to run a vehicle. Additionally there is always the non fossil fuel powered electricity sources which will undoubtedly increase in the future as fossil fuels reduce.

The other advantage is bigger units producing pollution are easier to scrub clean than millions of cars and bikes

[dustom_99]

Originally Posted by hkollar

EVs are good for the environment in many ways, even if you leave out clean energy.

Most important factor is they stop retail emissions, and transfer them back to wholesale emission points (generating stations). It is far easier to control emissions in generation stations, than in cars/bikes.

I am not aware or any method to trap exaust co and co2 and then pack it in a box ,ship to africa.
Yes it is easier to control emission on a generation station, but how exactly do you control it?
Converting co and co2 to something non greenhouse will need energy more than produced in the first place.
And yes bigger plants might me more efficient than small auto motors, but are they twice more efficient? Because of collosal losses in transmitting electricity to end user, you would need to produce nearly twice the power. Car with 20bhp electric motor will actually be consuming 40bhp worth of fuel at power station.

[carboy]

Originally Posted by dustom_99

Yes it is easier to control emission on a generation station, but how exactly do you control it?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrubber

[dustom_99]

Originally Posted by carboy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrubber

I guess I was talking about carbon mono and di-oxides. This article does not even mention them.
Moreover did you read the article completely? It does not reduce pollution.

[echo77]

Here is one of the most cited environmental impact article on Li-ion BEVs wrt petrol ICEV: http://www.greencarcongress.com/2010...-20100810.html

one of the comments to note:

Note that the authors used the current European electric grid in their study. Unlike ICEVs, BEVs get cleaner with time as we improve the electric grid. In contrast ICEVs get dirtier with time, both as the vehicle components age, but especially as we are forced to turn to dirtier and dirtier sources of crude (e.g. oil sands, coal to liquids, etc.).

[dustom_99]

http://www.euractiv.com/climate-envi...tu-news-299831

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencete...ty-diesel.html

Note that these EV are on European grid, which is almost 74-77% efficient and currently gets about 20% power from renewable source.
Indian Grid is less than 50% efficient, and renewable source is almost nil.

[wilful]

(Bumping up an old thread)
The Govt is in the process of setting up a subsidy for hybrid cars.

The heavy industry ministry, which has moved a proposal for clearance by the finance ministry, has suggested that the maximum subsidy of 35% should be given to pure electric vehicles, while a 25% benefit should be provided for plug-in vehicles that can drive for at least 15km at one go


At present apart from Mahindra's electric offering the choice of hybrids is limited and very expensive. I wonder if this move would encourage makers to offer cars at more palatable price points to get the initiative off the ground.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/b.../37926670.cms?

[swiftnfurious]

Originally Posted by wilful

....maximum subsidy of 35% should be given to pure electric vehicles, while a 25% benefit should be provided for plug-in vehicles ...

Could anyone tell me the differences between pure & plug-in electric vehicles please?

[speedmiester]

This is a much anticipated and welcome move.
Hope the subsidy scheme gets implemented at the earliest.
I would love to buy the e20 once the subsidy is implemented.

[batterylow]

Originally Posted by swiftnfurious

Could anyone tell me the differences between pure & plug-in electric vehicles please?

A pure electric vehicle does not possess a engine and is driven purely by the electric motor. Eg the e20

A plug in hybrid on the other hand has a power-plant to compliment the electric motor and can generally be powered by either power-plant. Eg the prius

source:
http://www.tva.gov/environment/techn...r_vehicles.htm