Are Electric Vehicles Truly Green, And Do You Really Save Money?

Electric vehicles are all the rage. From Tesla moving to Texas to GM stating that they want to make only Electric vehicles by 2035. There are a lot of issues with Electric vehicles as well. Forbes states that Electric vehicles cost more to make but may cost a similar amount as a gas vehicle due to government subsidies. This means that the Government is hiding the true cost of an electric vehicle in a similar way as they hide the true cost of wind energy through subsidies. 

Let's put all that aside though and just look at the facts. Are EV’s good for the environment and do the cost less money to drive? The answer is yes if you are talking to a politician, but the answer from Forbes is maybe. In the same article they break down the cost after the purchase of the car and the numbers may surprise you. In the state of California, you could save as much as a thousand dollars a year in just gas, but only if you charge at home. In Texas, the number is much lower at just four hundred and seventy-nine dollars a year. When you add in the higher cost of the vehicle and the cost of a charging station in your home then it would take you a long time to catch up to a gas car. 

The real reason many people are willing to spend a little more on an Electric Vehicle is that it is good for the environment. The problem is that the more we find out about how they are made, and where the electricity comes from, the less environmentally friendly they seem. First, most electricity in the US comes from coal and natural gas. This still puts emissions in the air even if it is not coming directly from the vehicle. Second, a new article from The Daily Caller states that deforestation has become a big issue with Electric vehicles. The article states, “A major nickel mine in the Philippines rainforest has continued to expand, mowing down acres of trees as global demand for minerals essential for electric vehicle manufacturing surges.”  

It may be time to admit that electricity may not be the way to move forward in the US.  I did not go into how far a charge goes, and how long it takes to charge, which are the biggest downsides to an electric vehicle. If the only thing that the US government is worried about is how environmentally friendly a car is, it may be time to investigate the hydrogen technology from Toyota. Sadly, the Government does not seem interested in this. They have made up their mind and we are the ones that will pay for it.