A study has found that "environmentally conscious" electric cars pushed by celebrities are actually worse for Mother Earth, given that they produce a bigger carbon footprint compared to conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) cars.
Researchers at the University of Turku in Finland found that the average EV owner churns out half a ton more of carbon dioxide (CO2) annually, with owners of the sportiest EV models producing almost two tons more. Someone who owns an ICE vehicle, i.e. running on diesel or gasoline, only emits 8.05 tons of CO2 or equivalent greenhouse gases per year. In contrast, the average EV driver churns out 8.66 tons of emissions annually.
The study authors also made a distinction between two types of EV owners – those focused on performance (PF) and those focused on economy and reliability (EF). The PF group generates an average of 10.25 tons of CO2 every year, almost double the 5.75 tons produced by those who don't own a vehicle. The EF group, meanwhile, generates 7.59 tons of CO2 annually. (Related: Study: EV owners have BIGGER CARBON FOOTPRINTS than traditional car owners.)
According to the study authors, the glamorous and high-living lifestyles of EV owners are to blame for this. They noted that income is one of the strongest predictors of carbon footprint, writing: "Since EV households tend to have a high income, their total carbon footprint is also above average."
Higher income typically leads to larger homes, more frequent travel and greater consumption – factors that significantly increase a person’s overall contribution to climate change. Nearly a quarter of all EV-owning households in the study had a monthly income of more than £6,250 ($8,201), while the average household income in the U.K. is just £2,875 ($3,772).
EVs are often for the rich and famous
According to Green Energy News, "celebrities are no strangers to fast and lavish rides" whether it's EVs or ICE cars.
"With electric cars gaining mainstream popularity, some of the world’s most famous faces are now joining the electric revolution by opting for eco-friendly rides. In Hollywood, observers have noticed that EVs have slowly-but-surely become the ultimate status symbol."
The piece named several celebrities who are also proud EV owners. These include Robert Downey Jr. of "Iron Man" and "Avengers: Endgame" fame, who drives an Audi E-tron. Rapper Snoop Dogg is also a proud owner of a Tesla Model X, while actress Cameron Diaz of "Charlie's Angels" and "There's Something About Mary" also drives a Tesla, Model S.
But high-performance EVs only appeal to famous personalities due to their high income. The average driver isn't quite sold on electric cars, with figures from August showing that registration of pure battery-powered EVs in the European Union went down by 44 percent compared to a year before.
The price of EVs compared to ICE models is a major factor as to why electric cars remain on dealership lots far longer than gas-guzzling counterparts. The average price of EVs is £51,000 ($66,621) – 31 percent higher than gasoline or diesel models – something that turns off most customers.
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Watch this video about the true cost of EV batteries and why there is no such thing as a zero-emissions vehicle.
This video is from The Prisoner channel on Brighteon.com.
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