The true 'cost' of electric vehicles?
The latest "Electric vehicles are scary!" study is out, and this one is a doozy. A new paper from the economic consulting firm Anderson Economic Group (AEG) does some novel things as it tries to comprehend the full spectrum of costs associated with making the shift away from a gas-powered vehicle to an EV.
For example, based on gas prices in Michigan, where AEG is based, the study says the "direct monetary cost to drive 100 miles in an internal-combustion (ICE) vehicle is between $8 and $12, and in an EV is between $12 and $15." That sounds alarming, and the results show that no matter what, it costs more to refuel using electricity than gasoline... More here.
There is more to the above than meets the eye so click the link and read the whole article for a more unbiased view. I will try to find time to dig in to the motives and people behind the study.
One thing that bugs me about electric vehicles, however, is what will happen to the batteries when they can no longer be used.
Are they recyclable? Will certain wastes end up in landfill that could potentially hang around longer than most products and, perhaps most importantly, are we just pushing the problem of travel pollution back a decade or so?