Wasn’t lithium or something that’s used in electric car batteries actually worse? I can’t drive, I’ve tried it and I just can’t do it, so I stick to public transit and even saving up for a bike (plus thick winter tires). It’s more efficient and better for the climate and happiness of the population as a whole. But I guess it’s not nearly as profitable to assholes like Gates try to peddle the myth of hyper-consumerism solving all our problems.
Wasn’t lithium or something that’s used in electric car batteries actually worse?
Lithium and cobalt.
Whether it’s actually worse is way more nuanced. Electric cars basically can’t justify their existence any more than gasoline cars, but in certain applications, battery electric busses and trains very much can. There’s a whole thing about in what applications direct electrification is better than batteries and vice versa, and what role hybrid battery electrification can play in your system where you direct electrify parts of your line and battery power other parts of it, where the vehicles can directly run on the wire while using it to charge its batteries, and keep running when the wire ends. But batteries can genuinely be more efficient and more eco friendly than direct electrification in some cases, since direct electrification consumes resources too, namely in the form of infrastructure, the physical wires and gantries you have to build and maintain.
But the magic thing here is scalability. The environmental impact of a bus or train battery (which is often not that much bigger than the battery in a Tesla) is spread out between all the people it can carry and therefore the individual impact becomes very small. Same with fossil fuels for conventional non electric transit mind you, which is why taking diesel busses are still better for the environment than driving a Tesla. I always say to people not to feel bad if they only have fossil fuel powered trains and busses where they are, because you’re still doing a lot better for the environment riding that than getting an EV, and the best part is transit systems are much, much easier and collectively cheaper to build electrification onto than car-based transportation.
We need to change our lifestyle to be one that is more communal and collective oriented if we’re to survive the climate crisis. Changing the individualist elements for slightly more efficient individualist elements does bugger all.
Thanks for the more nuanced info! Scalability is definitely what I was thinking of. Because a battery for an individuals person car vs buses, streetcars, trains, etc. are very different.
I know a couple who go on loads of holidays. Everyone thinks they’re loaded. Their response if you ask them: ‘we use public transport – the money you spend running a car funds two or more holidays a year if they’re planned right.’ (They’re also happy just to be away, so their holidays aren’t lavish.) Not a bad way of doing things.
That’s right. Although, capitalists have even ruined this to a certain extent. Selling ‘experiences’ as commodities. Like days out at theme parks, helicopter rides, or gourmet dining. Closely linked with rentier capitalism, but I’ve not looked into these ideas much.
Especially if you’re part of the broke working class and can only afford piece of shit cars that need constant repairs. You end up spending way more money on said piece of shit car than something more reliable that you can’t get approved for. I’m finally out of that cycle now but lived that life for way too long and it was always a major stress in the back of my mind. When is this piece of shit gonna break down next and take all my year’s savings with it?
Wasn’t lithium or something that’s used in electric car batteries actually worse? I can’t drive, I’ve tried it and I just can’t do it, so I stick to public transit and even saving up for a bike (plus thick winter tires). It’s more efficient and better for the climate and happiness of the population as a whole. But I guess it’s not nearly as profitable to assholes like Gates try to peddle the myth of hyper-consumerism solving all our problems.
Lithium and cobalt.
Whether it’s actually worse is way more nuanced. Electric cars basically can’t justify their existence any more than gasoline cars, but in certain applications, battery electric busses and trains very much can. There’s a whole thing about in what applications direct electrification is better than batteries and vice versa, and what role hybrid battery electrification can play in your system where you direct electrify parts of your line and battery power other parts of it, where the vehicles can directly run on the wire while using it to charge its batteries, and keep running when the wire ends. But batteries can genuinely be more efficient and more eco friendly than direct electrification in some cases, since direct electrification consumes resources too, namely in the form of infrastructure, the physical wires and gantries you have to build and maintain.
But the magic thing here is scalability. The environmental impact of a bus or train battery (which is often not that much bigger than the battery in a Tesla) is spread out between all the people it can carry and therefore the individual impact becomes very small. Same with fossil fuels for conventional non electric transit mind you, which is why taking diesel busses are still better for the environment than driving a Tesla. I always say to people not to feel bad if they only have fossil fuel powered trains and busses where they are, because you’re still doing a lot better for the environment riding that than getting an EV, and the best part is transit systems are much, much easier and collectively cheaper to build electrification onto than car-based transportation.
We need to change our lifestyle to be one that is more communal and collective oriented if we’re to survive the climate crisis. Changing the individualist elements for slightly more efficient individualist elements does bugger all.
Thanks for the more nuanced info! Scalability is definitely what I was thinking of. Because a battery for an individuals person car vs buses, streetcars, trains, etc. are very different.
I know a couple who go on loads of holidays. Everyone thinks they’re loaded. Their response if you ask them: ‘we use public transport – the money you spend running a car funds two or more holidays a year if they’re planned right.’ (They’re also happy just to be away, so their holidays aren’t lavish.) Not a bad way of doing things.
Experiences over objects.
That’s right. Although, capitalists have even ruined this to a certain extent. Selling ‘experiences’ as commodities. Like days out at theme parks, helicopter rides, or gourmet dining. Closely linked with rentier capitalism, but I’ve not looked into these ideas much.
Completely agree.
Based couple. More people should follow their good example.
Especially if you’re part of the broke working class and can only afford piece of shit cars that need constant repairs. You end up spending way more money on said piece of shit car than something more reliable that you can’t get approved for. I’m finally out of that cycle now but lived that life for way too long and it was always a major stress in the back of my mind. When is this piece of shit gonna break down next and take all my year’s savings with it?