Environmentally Destructive Electric Cars

If Only the Sahara Desert Turned Green . . . 

We had a sneaking suspicion that this would be the case: electric vehicles would turn out to be fundamentally more destructive/dangerous to the environment.  But dangerous in what way?  The levels of  production and release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, of course.

A study by the IFO think tank in Munich found that electric vehicles in Germany emit 11 percent to 28 percent more carbon dioxide than their diesel counterparts. The study considered the production of batteries as well as the German electricity mix in making this determination. Germany spent thousands of euros on electric car subsidies per vehicle to put a million electric vehicles on the road, but those subsidies have done nothing to reach the country’s greenhouse gas emission targets. This is just the latest example of government programs expecting one outcome and getting quite another, instead. To some it is ironic; to others it is funny. At IER, we believe it to be sad, as it is a waste of time and money that could be better put to use solving real problems.

In one sense this is all a storm in a teacup.
  Carbon dioxide is the greenest gas imaginable.  It keeps the planet alive.  It is only in the mindsets of greenists that carbon dioxide has become a great evil.  It was blamed for rising temperatures and thus became wicked.  If the Sahara Desert were to become a vast green paddock or forest, greenies would consider that to be a great, great travesty.  Just think of all that evil carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere.

So, as things stand, the clippety clop western world is controlled by folk who think that carbon dioxide is a great threat to life.  Consequently, for them to be told that one of the great solutions to the problem of carbon dioxide, which they have seized upon and trumpeted to all, actually releases more carbon dioxide than diesel engines represents a cruel twist of circumstance.  It is this generation's oxymoron of oxymorons. 

In reality electric vehicles ought to be celebrated precisely because they emit more carbon dioxide than diesel engines.  But in the meantime, we will enjoy watching the greenists turn red with embarrassment.