Comment by thinkcontext | Hacker News Reader

Comment by thinkcontext | Hacker News Reader

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> ... we concluded that just by being brough into existence and to the showroom floor a BMW i3 is equivalent from a pollution point of view to my diesel Ford having done 200.000 miles (I'm nowhere near that).

Did it ever occur to you that maybe someone had looked into this before? Actually, lots of someones with PHDs have and find the opposite of you. Not only that companies are staking $10Bs on developing EVs, do you think they haven't looked at this either? Does that make you curious enough to read what they have written and see if perhaps your napkin model might not be accurate or are you content to be secure in your conclusion?

Here's a few if you are interested

https://www.carbonbrief.org/factcheck-how-electric-vehicles-...

https://www.transportenvironment.org/sites/te/files/download...

https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/cleaner-cars-cradle-grave

No, it hasn't occured to me. As I said, it was napkin math. At the same time the dude I had coffee with is an engineer at a rather respectable motor vehicle company so I assumed he has enough insider knowledge beyond what is generally available. Perhaps my mistake.

I am sure it's all fun and games and saving the planet until shit really hits the fan regarding what happens with batteries after they're disposed of but I suppose we're at least 20 years away from that and the comment I replied to will have a completely different meaning for people who don't gobble up the general sentiment that EV cars are the next best thing since sliced bread.

Edit: please understand we used numbers from the manufacturer, not made-up stuff. I understand and respect people with PhDs who look into this, but I have zero respect for car companies in general (random e.g. the VW scandal exposing most manufacturers do the same thing).

I gave you sources that discuss their models in detail and you apparently don't have anything to back up your contention. Provide it or let's end our discussion.

I am unsure where in my initial or follow up comment did I exhibit my desire to discuss this with anybody. I just wished to contribute to the discussion, but I am not keen on a back and forth on something that is still highly debatable.

If you truly believe that EVs are the right way to go towards unfucking our planet then allow me to be of the contrary opinion (i.e. it's simply a publicity stunt and a way to make people part with their money in chasing the next best thing that isn't actually the next best thing whilst fucking up our planet even further).

Peace and love >:D<

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