What my 40yo diesel has going for it is that it already exists. The production cost has been paid for already. I’m fully prepared to buy an eV or hybrid when it dies but in the meantime it’s what I’ve got. Plus I don’t actually drive very much.
Unless your vehicle has particularly bad emotions, generally speaking that’s the recommendation. All vehicles have a front-facing emissions cost from their manufacture; EVs having more due to the battery materials. While it’s better in the long run to have an EV on the roads than a gas/diesel, there is value in maintaining an existing vehicle.
Like, I’m not sure how to properly convey the point but there’s something about reducing the market demand for a new car and its environmental impact. If someone were to trade in their old vehicle and buy a new one every few years (which is unfortunately pretty normal in the US for middle class’folks), they’d actually have a worse carbon footprint buying EVs because of those front-loaded emission costs.
The best step towards a greener future is cutting out unnecessary production rather than chasing the next gadget that’s supposed to save the world.
What my 40yo diesel has going for it is that it already exists. The production cost has been paid for already. I’m fully prepared to buy an eV or hybrid when it dies but in the meantime it’s what I’ve got. Plus I don’t actually drive very much.
Unless your vehicle has particularly bad emotions, generally speaking that’s the recommendation. All vehicles have a front-facing emissions cost from their manufacture; EVs having more due to the battery materials. While it’s better in the long run to have an EV on the roads than a gas/diesel, there is value in maintaining an existing vehicle.
Like, I’m not sure how to properly convey the point but there’s something about reducing the market demand for a new car and its environmental impact. If someone were to trade in their old vehicle and buy a new one every few years (which is unfortunately pretty normal in the US for middle class’folks), they’d actually have a worse carbon footprint buying EVs because of those front-loaded emission costs.
The best step towards a greener future is cutting out unnecessary production rather than chasing the next gadget that’s supposed to save the world.