Why is anyone interested in plug in electric cars, when the electricity often has to be made by burning coal?

Question

We are already stretched pretty thin for clean electricity, so why add a huge demand to power autos...we cannot make that much electricity and most electric production is polluting.

Answer 1

good point ,

be better to plug in to the Sun

Answer 2

You are missing the big picture.  Electric cars show the best promise of eliminating the need for CO2-emitting cars--but they are ONE component of a wider system.

The electricity can be--and will be--generated by alternative energy technologies.  My guess is primarily this will be solar, combined with power storage systems to solve the "it doesn't work at night" headache.

The immediate objection you always hear to this (or any other alternative) is "but it cost too much."  Right now that's true--if you are talking about a full system including storage batteries.  Solar or wind (and soon others) aready competitive in cost--and the cost is dropping rapidly.

The point-I don't know exactly what the shape of a support technology for electric cars will take--but here's one workable model that will be cost-effective within 10 years:

A solar array--either privately owned or a commercial service a car owner buys poweer from.  The system will include sufficient battery storage to meet demand for power when the array cant generate it directly.  One possibility--the array will charg a "switchable" battery pack that can be switched into a car in the time it would take to fill up a gas tank.  Then the solar arrays can take their time recharging the drained battery pack.

There are lots of other possibilities--and some of the required technology still needs work.  But as I said, give it ten years.  You'll have your electric cars--and renewable energy to run them.

Answer 3

if the N.R.C. would allow............nuclear power would be one of many cleaner power-source,s.........although many people are not in favor of this........it would be safe if the power plant,s would take all the necessary precaution,s........as of lately we are only using about 50% of our capacity.......it is a alternative for a energy thirsty era..........at least until technology can improve other sources.

Answer 4

Electricity is generated weather it is used or not.  There are peak times, and slow times, but there is always some waste (There is no battery storage  built into the grid, so unused electricity is just wasted).  Charging cars at night would be an environmentally sound thing to do.  Augmenting that with solar charging while at work would be even better.