You cannot simply convert a gas engine to ethanol or E85. You would have to replace all the gaskets, fuel pump, fuel injectors, and the fuel lines, it would require reprogramming of the fuel injection system, and who knows what else. On top of that, ethanol is 30% less efficient than gasoline, so you would need to refine and transport 30% more fuel.This isn’t necessarily true. They have nothing about lost energy to transfer power either. Plus if it’s only about emission. E85 or ethanol would be easy conversions. Without the need for massively more polluting of mining for batteries, burning ev cars, or any of the massive amounts of pollution created for the new infrastructure.
I’m not against ev’s but the fact is they don’t fit people’s life’s right now and the saving the planet part is crap. It’s a feel good issue. Pollution is just moved to a different area. One I might say can’t be helped by planting more trees.
With increased number of EVs on the road, though, there is another scenario that is often ignored:
When you no longer have to transport fuel through multiple steps from well head to the end user, the gasoline that is not used by the cars, the diesel that is not used by the trucks and trains to move the gasoline, and the electricity that is not needed to run pipelines, all of that energy is then available to produce more electricity. And, as I already stated, this is a much more efficient transfer of energy than the internal combustion engine.
Is our grid currently able to flip the switch overnight and provide electricity for millions of EVs? Of course not. Nobody is saying that. But that also won't happen because we don't have the manufacturing capability to add millions of EVs in a year. As we scale up production of EVs, we need to invest in our grid, no doubt!
It also is not just about emissions. Ethanol is processed from corn in the US, which is a very "hungry" and "thirsty" plant. We already grow more corn for ethanol production and livestock feed than we grow for direct human consumption. We cannot continue to grow ever more corn or we won't be able to grow anything else.
Lastly, I am sorry your electricity costs are going up. I doubt that that has much to do with EV adoption, though.
How do I know this? Well, I use anecdotal evidence, just like you did, only I pick out the data that suits me: I drive an EV, yet my electric rates have not gone up in over 5 years.
Boohoo.
I do agree with you on one point: EVs aren't for everyone. They still cost too much for most people to afford, and the public charging infrastructure is not robust enough to support all those folks who cannot charge at home: people who live in apartment buildings or who only have on-street parking spaces.
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