There's an obvious push towards eco-friendly vehicles, but I'm wondering how much electric cars are good for the environment. OK, the emissions are zero, but what about the power station that supplies the energy, and the manufacturing of that huge bank of batteries, how much pollution does that create? I read that the power stations in the US are already struggling to meet demands, so what happens when everyone is driving electric vehicles, build more power stations?

Unless they go nuclear - where the only waste is the spent fuel rods, or hydro - where the only loss is arable (maybe) land, not environmentally friendly at all. Burn coal, or oil, both heavy polluters. Natural gas better, but still bad. Batteries can be recycled, but the whole movement will not take off until the Government gets behind it. And that will never happen until the election process is not bought and paid for by Interested Parties - Oil and Gas, Big Pharma, Big Chemical, Big Agro ... on and on. And that will NEVER happen.

55 minutes ago, canthai55 said:

Unless they go nuclear - where the only waste is the spent fuel rods, or hydro - where the only loss is arable (maybe) land, not environmentally friendly at all. Burn coal, or oil, both heavy polluters. Natural gas better, but still bad. Batteries can be recycled, but the whole movement will not take off until the Government gets behind it. And that will never happen until the election process is not bought and paid for by Interested Parties - Oil and Gas, Big Pharma, Big Chemical, Big Agro ... on and on. And that will NEVER happen.

I realise batteries can be recycled, but how much energy is expended in producing them in the first place?

From what I have read, taken all together - energy required to build a hybrid car, and its batteries, factor in the amount of fuel saved over the course of the cars life, and compared to a gasoline vehicle of similar weight and power output, the hybrid is a net energy loser i.e. takes more energy to produce compared to the savings in fuel cost over its life. And this does not take into account what to do with those toxic batteries when they reach the end of their useful life. They are lifestyle statements for people who wish to appear green but have not done the research.

3 hours ago, canthai55 said:

From what I have read, taken all together - energy required to build a hybrid car, and its batteries, factor in the amount of fuel saved over the course of the cars life, and compared to a gasoline vehicle of similar weight and power output, the hybrid is a net energy loser i.e. takes more energy to produce compared to the savings in fuel cost over its life. And this does not take into account what to do with those toxic batteries when they reach the end of their useful life. They are lifestyle statements for people who wish to appear green but have not done the research.

Those Hollywood stars who say they drive a Prius but have a Humvee and Bugatti Veyron tucked away as well.

Can you imagine when we are all electric, there will be billions of batteries being made and disposed of, and a need for many more power stations. I can't see that as being better than an efficient petrol engine.  I thought the future for cars was the hydrogen fuel cell not electric.