We bought an electric car. As I stated on my microblog, I know this isn’t going to save the world from global warming overnight, and I’m also aware this exacerbates different problems (capitalism, growth, suburban sprawl, etc.)… but as I also stated there, it does feel good that when we use this car, it doesn’t spew carbon emissions into the atmosphere between our house and whatever errand we are running.
Something I’ve been curious about since I became interested in electric cars is, what is the break even point for such a vehicle? Cursory googling suggests a reasonable estimate to be 15k – 20k miles, although that number is disputed. Battery production can be emissions intensive, and there is also material mining to transport of materials.
Long term, I’d like to work closer to home, or live closer to work, and commute in by bike. But hopefully the electric car can help reduce our carbon footprint until that becomes a reality.