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caraher

(6,356 posts)

3. OK, but the electricity counts too

Reply to JaneyVee (Original post)

Tue Apr 23, 2013, 10:04 PM

Apr 2013

Plug-in vehicles really shouldn't be rated just on gasoline consumption. If the motivation is reducing carbon emission, for instance, let's look at where the electricity comes from and the associated emissions.

I'm sure it's still much better than even an efficient gas-only car, but "450 MPG" is not really an accurate picture of energy efficiency, just the number of fill-ups at the gas station.

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Highlight:

First Chevy Volt Electric Car Gets 450 MPG in New Jersey [View all] JaneyVee Apr 2013 OP

Cheers for Chevy, but America is an unstable, oil-producing regime. nt onehandle Apr 2013 #1

I guess we'll have a chance to change that in 2016 if that's the case. Leslie Valley Apr 2013 #2

OK, but the electricity counts too caraher Apr 2013 #3

True RobertEarl Apr 2013 #4

That's the same thing I say JimDandy May 2013 #19

Yep. When I was in my dad's Volt, we both discussed that the mpg should be "mpg". Gregorian Apr 2013 #5

The EPA fuel economy labels are trying to take account of some of this... caraher Apr 2013 #6

ELectric engine efficiency 3 times higher than gas ErikJ Apr 2013 #7

internal combustion engines are actually 25-30% efficient, the rest of the energy released as heat snooper2 Apr 2013 #13

That's all true. But the Volt mpg is ignoring the fact that carbon emissions are part of charging it Gregorian Apr 2013 #14

Yes-- fossil fuel electric plants only 31% efficient ErikJ Apr 2013 #15

I have been looking at getting one gejohnston Apr 2013 #18

That's why we need fusion reactors snooper2 Apr 2013 #10

No, that's why we need JimDandy May 2013 #20

Solar is cool, all for it, we need to spend billions on fusion research too snooper2 May 2013 #21

Applying EPA figures to Kaffee's driving... caraher Apr 2013 #8

What utter bullshit! His car is 40% coal powered KurtNYC Apr 2013 #9

Hyperbole, but still a very good point... Atman Apr 2013 #11

Better coal powered (or natural gas powered) or whatever than petroleum powered. EOTE Apr 2013 #12

Better !? Lithium batteries, coal, etc. KurtNYC Apr 2013 #16

EVs have far less of an environmental impact than conventional vehicles, especially when considering EOTE Apr 2013 #17