Re:“Super Engine” may fundamentally change the way internal ...
by seanp2k2 on Thursday February 25, 2016 @10:54PM
(#11179702)
Specifically on electric cars and hybrids, mining, refining, and processing the elements in the batteries is pretty nasty business, as is the recycling / disposal of them once they're flat. There are tons of EVs and hybrids out there, and I see this becoming a huge e-waste problem in the near future. Note that Tesla is/was doing something to make the part after they're discarded less bad: https://www.teslamotors.com/blog/mythbusters-part-3-recyclin...
Re:“Super Engine” may fundamentally change the way internal ...
by BrandonMarc on Friday February 26, 2016 @11:13AM
(#11182123)
Your last point is the tough part. True, actual manufacturing doesn't have to use lots of oil, but there's still a hefty supply chain network that does. Years ago I read an article showing how various car parts for an "American" car came from nearly two dozen countries, in almost every continent. Even if it's a container ship with 10,000,000 car parts (which is about as efficient as transportation can get) that's still an oil footprint being left behind. Even if they're Tesla parts.
Re:“Super Engine” may fundamentally change the way internal ...
by webkike on Friday February 26, 2016 @01:07AM
(#11180046)
Right, so transportation is the big issue. Last I checked it was the big tankers involved in large volumes of international logistics that generate the most green house gasses.
I am unaware of any technology, so-called "clean burning" oils, electric, or whatever, that solves this problem.
In fact this is probably unsolvable if I think about it free trade is going to keep these boats polluting our air until we die. I'm starting to really believe that sometimes when I'm really drunk
In fact, in the U.S. most electricity is generated from sources other than oil. Unfortunately, a lot of it comes from coal, which is worse than oil in almost every environmental aspect. But theoretically the electricity could all come from solar, wind, hydro, and nuclear.
Cars have of lot of plastic in them, and oil is the main feedstock for the manufacture of plastic. But that's not really bad in terms of global warming, as a lot of the carbon remains locked up in the plastic (as opposed to burning oil).
The final piece of the puzzle is transportation--cars are not built all in one place, the subassemblies might be manufactured all over, and then come together for final assembly via rail, boat, truck, even airplane. Each of those burns oil, so that's a big part of the oil footprint.