[status200]

If you live in an area that primarily gets electricity from coal plants, the break even point for a Model 3 to gas cars is 80,000+ miles [1]. EVs aren't some magic carbon-negative solution, and the politics Musk plays to get raw materials are a net negative for the planet as a whole.

[1]https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/lifeti...

[dane-pgp]

> If you live in an area that primarily gets electricity from coal plants

That's a rather extreme assumption. The article you linked to also gives the more representative figure of 14,800 miles for "U.S. average energy mix (23% coal-fired, plus other fossil fuels and renewables)".

To put things in perspective there are only 12 states that are majority coal powered (according to 2017 numbers[0]):

    1. West Virginia - 93.2%
    2. Wyoming - 85.7%
    3. Missouri - 79.8%
    4. Kentucky - 78.2%
    5. Indiana - 73.2%
    6. Utah - 70.5%
    7. North Dakota - 64.5%
    8. Nebraska - 59.8%
    9. Ohio - 57.2%
    10. Wisconsin - 55.1%
    11. New Mexico - 54.8%
    12. Colorado - 54.3%

Also, it's not unrealistic for a Model 3 to do 80,000+ miles. Some have already managed 100,000 miles[1], which is apparently the minimum warranty period too.[2]

[0] https://stacker.com/stories/3356/states-producing-most-elect...

[1] https://electrek.co/2019/10/21/tesla-model-3-100000-miles/

[2] https://www.findmyelectric.com/blog/how-long-does-a-tesla-ba...

[csa]

> If you live in an area that primarily gets electricity from coal plants, the break even point for a Model 3 to gas cars is 80,000+ miles [1]. EVs aren't some magic carbon-negative solution, and the politics Musk plays to get raw materials are a net negative for the planet as a whole.

[1] https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/lifeti...

Do you have a bone to pick with EVs? This seems cherry-picked/straw man to me.

The 80k+ you refer to assumes electricity is sourced 100% from coal, which happens never in the US.

Even West Virginia, a haven for coal, it’s only 88%. Wyoming is also in the 80s. There are a few in the 50-70 range, but most states are sub-35, with many being 0.

[edit] For our most populous states, CA checks in at 0.1%, NY 0.1%, FL 7%, and TX 16%.

https://www.nei.org/resources/statistics/state-electricity-g...

This article shows how US sources of electricity have changed in the past 20 years or so.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/12/24/climate/how-e...

Contrary to what you state, I would say that EVs are doing a good job at lowering overall emissions from passenger vehicles, and this will become more true as renewables increase their percentage in our electricity production mix.

[indiv0]

Even if that 80,000+ miles point is true it’s still better than a gasoline car over its lifetime and completely dishonest because who the hell is buying a Tesla and living in an area with 100% coal fired power? Germans?

The “U.S. average energy mix” comparison of 14,800 is much more accurate.

Not to mention the equation gets more and more favourable to EVs with each passing year.

[VirusNewbie]

I really don't appreciate people on HN posting wildly inaccurate links, I think that's something we need to be discouraged from doing. Second, are you unaware of solar panels?