Is zero emission real?
The two California U.S. senators recently requested the Biden administration to impose a nation-wide deadline for the elimination of gasoline powered vehicles by a date certain in favor of socalled “zero emission” (i.e. electric) vehicles.
This is both bad science and bad policy.
First, “zero emission” is a misnomer. Electric vehicles must be recharged regularly using electricity generated by power plants. It doesn’t grow on trees. In the U.S. over 90% of that power is generated by power plants using coal, natural gas, or nuclear energy.
According to my conversations with TVA representatives, the net reduction in emissions of all kinds realized by electric vehicles is likely minimal to non-existent.
For example, a vehicle charging station using power from a coal fired power plant some miles away likely results in a net increase in overall emissions due to the amount of additional coal required for recharging versus emissions from a cleaner modern fuel-efficient gas powered vehicle.
Second, TVA advises that widespread use of charging at homes would require substantial upgrades to electric transmission lines serving homes in those neighborhoods—at a cost to the homeowners.
Third, it’s bad public policy for the government to choose winners and losers among competing segments of the same industry.
We have a free enterprise system in this country which is far more efficient than government at weeding out inefficient competitors and rewarding the more cost-effective ones.
Bob Thiel, Memphis