Which is worse for pollution, batteries or gas for cars?

Question

With all the hype for hybrid and electric cars, both of which use huge batteries, I wonder if anyone has examined the relative pollution. Batteries are very pollutive during both manufacturing and disposal, so are we just trading soil and water pollution for the air pollution associated with gas engines. Also, the batteries for hybrid cars are so expensive, that by the time you need a new one it will be cheaper to just trash the whole car, adding to the pile of junk cars.

Answer 1

Batteries are recyclable. That should answer your question.

Answer 2

Both are pretty polluting.  Batteries are pretty nasty - both the manufacture and the mining of the metals.  Of course, pumping oil and refining gasoline is pretty nasty too.  Cars are the most recycled product in the world (97% recycling rate) so that is a big positive.

I would say that, overall, batteries are better.  Most of a battery can be recycled and reused, while once gas has been burned it's just gone.  Also, even though you need to generate electricity (which is often done by burning coal) it's easier to clean up the exhaust from one power plant then thousands of cars.  A hybrid / electric car can also benefit from renewable resources - solar panels, wind farms, etc while a normal car can only burn gas (and maybe a little ethanol - which is cleaner but still pollutes).

If you look at one hybrid at 100,000 miles and compare it to one normal car at 100,000 miles you are roughly equal in total pollution.  However, current hybrids don't plug in and charge - they burn gasoline to charge the batteries.  You would have a big gain if they did that, and even bigger gains if you had a totally electric car.  Not to mention that, as I said before, much of the pollution for the hybrid is a one time expense (if batteries are recycled) while that gas is just gone and burned in a normal car.

Answer 3

Gas cars by far.  Hybrid batteries are fully recyclable, and last the lifetime of the car.

Answer 4

i must say i believe that they are both bad but, gas based pollution will kill us quicker. Batteries do not degrade and hence, pollute in time. if a battery leaks it can pollute the soil and ground water. certain battery landfills found near lakes have contributed to acid rain.

Answer 5

gas for cars  the gas for cars leave a substance that you can breathe in

Answer 6

Both