I’m a notic-er

That means I notice shit.

And what I’ve noticed here recently is more and more electric cars on the road, to which, I can only assume the owners are thinking they’re going to single-handedly “save” our one-and-only planet earth with their stupid awesome-looking vehicle.

Too bad they can’t hold a candle to the Earth-saving potential of my 1989 Electric-Blue Geo Metro Hatchback 4-Speed.

Here’s why…

Electric Car Vs The Geo Metro

When it comes to the environment, fossil-fueled cars have a bad reputation for their carbon footprint. Whenever it runs, it produces carbon dioxide. Most people agree because it is what they see. When an electric car runs, it doesn’t produce smoke so it doesn’t add to the world’s carbon footprint. That’s wrong because even if you can’t see it, electric cars are contributing to the pollution of the environment.

Electric cars are mostly advertised as green cars because they don’t emit as much carbon dioxide as other combustion engine cars like my Geo Metro. At first glance, they do look like their carbon footprint is low. However, you have to look at the whole picture when it comes to determining which car is greener.

Electric cars are powered by lithium-ion batteries. Lithium-ion batteries are not just limited to use on cars. They are also used to power other electrical devices like laptops and mobile phones. With the production of electric cars, there is an increase in the demand for lithium. That also means mining lithium is has a high demand.

It may seem that mining more lithium doesn’t have too much effect. However, it does have a huge effect on the environment. With lithium mining, water is in demand in large amounts and this depletes natural water sources plus it negatively affects the ecosystem.

Carbon Dioxide Footprint

Apart from lithium mining, we should also take a look at the carbon dioxide produced by the vehicle throughout its life cycle. There are three phases included in the life cycle of an electric vehicle. Those are the manufacturing phase, use phase and lastly, is the recycling phase.

Manufacturing Phase

In the manufacturing phase, consider the creation of the different components plus the assembly of such components. Comparing the carbon dioxide emission during the manufacturing phase, electric cars surprisingly produce more carbon dioxide than internal combustion engine vehicles. A huge part of the emission is due to the manufacturing of the battery fitted in electric vehicles.

Use Phase

As for the use phase, the emission of electric cars will only depend on the emission produced due to the production of the electricity that will charge the car’s battery. As for my Geo Metro, the level of emission will depend on how the fossil-fuel was produced or made available for the vehicle plus the actual emission produced by the car.

The emissions for electric car use will vary from one area to another. This is because some countries have a higher percentage of renewable electricity than others. Take Australia and New Zealand for example. New Zealand’s share of renewables is significantly higher than in Australia, which means that an electric car in New Zealand has fewer carbon emissions than an electric car in Australia.

As for fossil-fuel powered cars, their emission is much higher compared to electric vehicles whether they are in Australia or in New Zealand. Most of the carbon emission of a fossil-fuelled car is found in the use phase.

Considering our current source of electricity here in the US, the source of electricity for the vehicles will still produce a lot of emissions. Our renewables, when it comes to electricity, are just too low at the moment. Even if it rises in the next decade, that still wouldn’t significantly lessen the emissions produced to get electricity.

Recycling Phase

For the recycling phase, a study in China found that recycling an electric vehicle produces more emissions than recycling a fossil-fueled car. Like in the manufacturing phase, it is the battery that plays a significant part in producing higher emission when the electric car is recycled.

Why My Geo Metro Is Better Than Electric Cars

When comparing electric cars with new combustion engine vehicles, we can conclude that there will be a decrease in greenhouse gas emissions. However, that change isn’t big enough to cause a great impact on the climate or environment.

Buying and using a Geo Metro that has already been produced and used years ago is a better choice than buying a new electric car. If you really want to lessen the impact on the environment, help slow down the demand for electric cars. This also helps decrease the demand for mining lithium, manufacturing the battery and producing the electricity needed to power the vehicle. All of which negatively affect the environment. Remember that electric cars become really environmentally friendly when their source of electricity is renewable and not done by a coal-burning plant.

Oldie but goodie cars like the Geo Metro can still run well. It is easy to check the emissions they produce through various services you can find online. You can also have them serviced or maintain them on your own to lessen their carbon footprint. With a Geo Metro, you’ll not only help the environment but also help your pocket when it comes to fuel expense.