Question: Is an electric car better than a petrol car for the environment?

Jack Saunders answered on 12 Nov 2019:

The short answer is that petrol cars burn petrol (which is taken from a fossil fuel) and put out dangerous gases that harm the environment. Electric cars run on electrical power and don’t burn fossil fuels and so are better from the environment.

The slightly longer answer is that petrol cars generate dangerous gases that harm the environment and cause air pollution (which can harm people who live near roads). Electric cars don’t generate the same gases and so are better, but where does the electricity that powers the cars come from? If it is from fossil fuels they are still better than petrol cars, but not as much better as some people say. The best car is an electric car powered by electricity that comes from renewable energy (such as solar power, or wind power). These do exist and that’s what we should try to use!