Global Warming: 6 Ways Electric Cars Are Better for the Environment

Electric cars hold a lot of promise for a healthy environment. As the effects of global warming become more of a concern to people, the use of these cars could become more popular in the years ahead.

Here are six ways electric cars are better for the environment:

1. Electric cars produce fewer greenhouse gases. Although the cars can cause environmental damage when getting power from coal-producing plants, electric cars would dramatically reduce the amount of greenhouse gasses when powered by plants that don’t produce greenhouse gases. Even when generated from coal-burning plants, electric cars would reduce carbon dioxide emissions by as much as 22 percent when compared to cars.

2. Although electric cars still have a problem with needing frequent recharges, hybrid electric cars combine a standard engine with battery power. When the hybrid’s battery runs low, the engine gives it an extra boost. Hybrid cars offer the possibility of using power from a normal electric grid, avoiding the use of coal-burning power in the future.

3. Increased use of electric cars would reduce the amount of smog-forming pollutants produced by cars by as much as 32 to 99 percent, according to Sherry Boschert, author of Plug-in Hybrids: The Cars that Will Recharge America.

4. Electric cars use half as much fossil fuel even when being supplied by fossil-fuel burning plants. The energy they use is twice as efficient as cars over the same distance, according to electric vehicle advocate Chip Gribben.

5. As researchers look for more alternative ways to replace oil-producing vehicles that can damage the environment, electric cars provide cleaner energy when power comes from a cleaner electric grid. The environment will benefit from the growing use of electric cars as improvements are made for renewable power generation, according to Paul Scott, co-founder of Plug-In America, an electric vehicle advocacy group.

6. Electric cars have environmental advantages over gas- and diesel-powered cars in other areas, such as ozone pollution, consumption of water and use of steel and copper materials. Although the cars still face some disadvantages until improvements or changes are made, electric cars might provide better options in the future to combat global warming.

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