Transportation Pollution: Cars Vs. Natural Gas Power Plants

Gasoline cars and trucks are more climate-polluting than coal power plants. According to the EPA, car engines convert just one-fifth of the heat energy in gasoline into work energy that turns the wheels. In contrast, coal power plants convert around two-fifths of the heat energy in coal into energy that can be used to generate electricity. This means that gasoline vehicles need to burn a lot more fuel to produce the same amount of useful energy, resulting in more emissions for the same energy. However, some studies have shown that making a typical electric vehicle can create more carbon pollution than making a gasoline car due to the additional energy required to manufacture an EV's battery.

Gasoline vehicles are less efficient than coal power plants

The CO2 intensity of gasoline vehicles is also higher than that of coal power plants. Gasoline cars pump around 1,300 gCO2 out of their tailpipes for every kWh of usable energy they produce. This is one-third more climate-polluting than coal power plants for the same amount of energy. In Canada, for example, gasoline, not coal, has been driving climate failure.

Producing gasoline also takes a lot more energy and causes more emissions than producing coal. When these "upstream" production emissions are included, the climate pollution gap between gasoline and coal widens even further. While coal power plants are too carbon-intensive for a safe climate future, gasoline-burning cars and trucks are even worse.

Some studies have shown that making a typical electric vehicle (EV) can create more carbon pollution than making a gasoline car due to the additional energy required to manufacture an EV's battery. However, over the lifetime of the vehicle, total greenhouse gas emissions associated with manufacturing, charging, and driving an EV are typically lower than those associated with a gasoline car.

Gasoline vehicles emit more CO2 than coal power plants

The production of gasoline also takes a lot more energy and causes more emissions than the production of coal. When these "upstream" production emissions are included, the climate pollution gap between gasoline vehicles and coal power plants becomes even wider.

While coal power plants are indeed too carbon-intensive for a safe climate future, gasoline-burning cars and trucks are even worse. In Canada, for example, it is gasoline, not coal, that has been driving climate failure.

Some studies have shown that making a typical electric vehicle (EV) can create more carbon pollution than making a gasoline car due to the additional energy required to manufacture an EV's battery. However, over the lifetime of the vehicle, total greenhouse gas emissions associated with manufacturing, charging, and driving an EV are typically lower than those associated with a gasoline car.

Gasoline vehicles need to burn more fuel to produce the same amount of energy as coal power plants

Car engines convert just one-fifth of the heat energy in gasoline into work energy that turns the wheels. In contrast, coal power plants convert around two-fifths of the heat energy in coal into energy that can be used to generate electricity. This means that gasoline vehicles need to burn a lot more fuel to produce the same amount of useful energy, resulting in more emissions for the same energy.

The CO2 intensity of gasoline power versus coal power is often misunderstood. While gasoline emits less CO2 for each unit of heat energy when burned, this is not the form of energy that we want from our gasoline. We want the power to move our cars, which is a more organised form of energy called "work energy". Coal power plants produce this same organised "work energy".

When you include "upstream" emissions from producing both fuels, gasoline is 50% worse than coal. This is because producing gasoline takes a lot more energy and therefore causes more emissions than producing coal.

Producing gasoline takes more energy and causes more emissions than producing coal

Gasoline vehicles are less efficient than coal power plants. Car engines convert just one-fifth of the heat energy in gasoline into work energy that turns the wheels. In contrast, coal power plants convert around two-fifths of the heat energy in coal into energy that can be used to generate electricity. This means that gasoline vehicles need to burn a lot more fuel to produce the same amount of useful energy, resulting in more emissions for the same energy.

Gasoline vehicles are also more CO2-intensive than coal power plants. In Canada, it is gasoline, not coal, that has been driving climate failure. Gasoline cars and trucks pump around 1,300 gCO2 out of their tailpipes for every kWh of usable energy they produce. That's one-third more climate-polluting than coal power plants for the same amount of energy.

Producing gasoline takes a lot more energy and causes more emissions than producing coal. When these "upstream" production emissions are included, the climate pollution gap grows even wider.

While coal power plants are indeed too carbon-intensive for a safe climate future, our gasoline-burning cars and trucks are even worse.

Electric vehicles have lower total GHG emissions than gasoline cars over their lifetime

Electric vehicles (EVs) have lower total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions than gasoline cars over their lifetime. This is because, while the manufacturing of an EV is more carbon-intensive than that of a gasoline car, the emissions associated with their operation are much lower. This is due to the fact that gasoline vehicles need to burn a lot more fuel to produce the same amount of useful energy, resulting in more emissions for the same energy.

According to the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), EVs have far fewer global warming emissions over their lifetime than internal combustion engine (ICE) cars. In fact, over their lifetime, electric cars produce 52% less GHG emissions than gas cars, and electric trucks produce 57% less than gas trucks. This gap is expected to increase as the electricity mix continues to decarbonize.

The EPA and Department of Energy's (DOE's) Beyond Tailpipe Emissions Calculator can help you estimate the GHG emissions associated with charging and driving an EV or a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) in your area. It is important to note, however, that this calculator does not include the emissions associated with the manufacturing of the vehicle, which can be significant for EVs due to the energy-intensive process of battery manufacturing.

Despite this, studies have shown that even when accounting for the emissions produced during the manufacturing stage, EVs still have lower total GHG emissions than gasoline cars over their lifetime. This is because the emissions associated with the operation of an EV are so much lower than those of a gasoline car.

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