How bad are the alternatives to Electric Engines? The main alternatives for electric vehicles currently are diesel, petrol and biofuel powered cars. Each have their own advantages and disadvantages, and all greatly outweigh the EV as we know it in terms of practicality. However, environmentally and financially they seem to have catastrophic consequences. But how bad are they? Diesel cars are displayed in the media as dirty, deadly and dreadful but what about them is so bad? The problem itself lies within what diesel actually is. Made up of carbon and hydrogen, diesel is burnt within an engine to form carbon dioxide and water. It doesn’t end there, as other reactions that take place within the engines cause dangerous compounds such as nitrous oxides (NOx) and particulates to be released from the exhaust. These have been reported to cause a public health risk that could potentially lead to up to 40,000 premature deaths every year. However, the greatest threat to air quality comes from older, more dated models which are heavily restricted and rare on modern roads. Euro 6 diesel …show more content…
The battery itself is reusable, and the lithium sourcing process has little environmental impact when considered over the car’s lifetime. Charging the battery may be concerning as the energy required could be sourced from fossil fuels, however, manufacturers like Tesla have developed schemes that encourage buyers to install small solar cells that produce enough energy to charge the car and power the home every day. These schemes make a future of renewable energy sources and a completely electrified car fleet both realistic and sustainable. When compared to ICE cars whereby toxic fumes are released into the atmosphere, causing pollution and potentially global warming, EVs are more environmentally friendly and have a more reasonable future in a more ecologically conscious