Another factor to consider is the environmental impact of producing the electricity that is used to charge the electric vehicle. Certainly there are many sources of renewable energy which have minimal environmental impact, but the majority of electricity produced in the United States is generated by the burning of coal. In Texas,
a significant amount of electricity is generated from natural gas, although consumers do have the option of choosing an electricity provider that sells electricity which is produced through renewable sources. Some providers offer specific plans based on green sources of energy although the rates on these plans are often not as cheap.At the end of the vehicles lifecycle there is also the environmental costs of disposal to consider. Lithium ion batteries lose capacity over time and have to be replaced. Then there is the cost of manufacturing a replacement battery. On the whole most people would conclude that electric vehicles are still better for the environment than gas powered vehicles. But the equation is not as simple as it may appear on the surface and the source of the electricity matters when considering both the monetary costs and the environment costs of driving.
In a future installment we will look at a potential surprising second life for the lithium ion batteries that are no longer usable in the vehicle and how they can help solve one of the challenges of renewable sources of electricity.