Resolved: Electric cars should be a priority in plans to fight global warming

DefinitionsAn "electric car" is a car powered by electricity. That's consistent with, "An electric vehicle or EV, by definition will use an electric motor for propulsion rather than being powered by a gasoline-powered motor." http://inventors.about.com... Pro's references sometimes confuse hybrid cars with electric cars.Pro offered no alternative to my interpretation of "given a priority" so I assume he accepts it. So far, Pro has not said what he would do to give electric cars a priority, perhaps a subsidy or mandate, nor has he offered any evidence that impact on global warming would result. Therefore, his case thus far is irrelevant to the resolution. Pro's four questions1. Are electric cars helpful in fighting global warming?Pro's reference on the advantages of electric cars is an unsigned articles posted on a web site where apparently anyone can post. The articles has no authority. The says that the cars have no emissions, but it neglects to point out that the energy for the cars comes from electric power plants fueled predominantly by coal (45%) and natural gas (23%). http://www.eia.gov... Shifting the production of CO2 from the car to power plants does nothing in itself to fight global warming. Pro's [2] confirms this, saying "Right now, electric power plants could power a huge number of PHEVs with little effect on the air quality from extra particulate—thanks largely to coal plants." The reductions in CO2 derive from the theoretical switching of the power grid to CO2-free sources. Switching the power generation sources is would cost about $26 trillion and save only 0.026 degree of warming, not a viable proposition. However, even if it were viable, then the priority would be converting the power grid, not promoting electric cars. Electric cars themselves would have no effect.Are electric car economical?The study showing the relative economy of electric cars makes unrealistic assumptions, "The calculation was made using an average cost of electricity of 8.5 cents per kilowatt hour and the estimated distance the car would travel on one charge, versus a car that gets 25 miles per gallon and is powered by $3 per gallon gasoline. Change any of those variables and the relative costs change." The current average cost of electricity 11.09 cents per kilowatt hour. http://205.254.135.24/cneaf/electricity/epm/table5_6_b.html In New England, the Middle Atlantic states, and California --places with lots of cars-- electricity is already 15 to 18 cents. If wind and solar were used to generate the power, The price would rise to well over $1 per kilowatt. The 75 cents per gallon is thus already 98 cents nationally and $1.41 in states with a lot of cars. Using wind and solar would make it over $9.Gasoline prices are now about $3.70. Present hybrid cars, which get all their energy from gasoline, get 50 miles per gallon. Hybrids are enormously attractive than electric cars because they can travel any distance, while electrics only get about 70 miles to a charge. That means the current match up is about $1 for electricity versus $1.85 for hybrids. In the states with lots of cars it's closer to $1.41 versus $1.85.The big error, however, is in thinking that fuel costs are the major cost of driving. A mid-sized hybrid Prius costs about $21,000 while a Chevy Volt is about $41,000. A tiny Nissan Leaf electric is around $28,000. The average car lasts 9.2 years. http://www.autospies.com... The average car is driven about 15,000 miles per year for an average cost of 45 cents per mile for a small car, and 57 cents for a mid-sized. http://www.aaaexchange.com... For a hybrid, only about seven cents per mile is fuel cost. For an electric car, the electricity would be about $600. Fro a hybrid, the gasoline is $1110.While the electric car costs $510 less in fuel. A Chevy Volt would cost $2173 extra in depreciation. Even if the electric car lasts somewhat longer, it's still not going to be economical. It actually worse tan simple depreciation. The $20,000 extra could have been invested, say in a utility bond yielding $860 in interest. Electric cars are not economical. Are electric cars compatible with electric grids?Small numbers of commuter electric cars are compatible, because they can be charged at night. However large numbers are not compatible. Pro needs to be specific about how many electric cars he supposes will be put to use and in what time frame. Are electric cars reliable?Yes, electric cars are reliable up to their battery capacity. The main source of unreliability is running out of the electric charge in the battery. With a gasoline engine, one can stop at a filling station to fill up. Electric cars charge very slowly, and the claim that they are compatible with the electric grid assumes they are only charged overnight. If you run out of charge, there is no alternative to being towed to a charging station. Electric cars get all of their heating and cooling energy from the battery. A conventional car or hybrid uses gasoline to power the air conditioner, but the engine heat is obtained with no additional fuel cost. That means that in cold weather the driving range of the car is reduced. The Nissan Leaf is claimed to be able to go about 70 miles in 15 degree F weather. Below 15 degrees, the range will drop even further. If the car runs out of charge, perhaps stuck in snow. you are without a source of heat.It's like the story with private airplanes. The number one source of accidents in small planes is engine failure, and number one reason for engine failure is running out of fuel.My question How much will what Pro advocates cost and what reduction in global warming does he expect to get as a result?ConclusionElectric cars may have a role for people with short commutes to work or school, especially for people who car afford several cars. A real car is needed for trips. Even that limited role depends upon lowering the purchase price considerably.There is no impact on global warming, because the CO2 production is merely transferred to the electric power plant. So if one is worried about global warming, what should the priority be? It should be o researching climate engineering. Attempts to limits CO2 production yield a few hundredth of a degree for $25 trillions. Climate engineering has the potential for lowering temperatures by several degrees for under $1 trillion. One method is to inject sulphates into the stratosphere, mimicking the action of past volcanic eruptions that had the cooling effect. http://www.vqronline.org...; There are many other possibilities. http://iopscience.iop.org...Priority should be given to studying these methods.