Best car for the environment?

The Government encouraged diesel cars, well many more people bought them. But we now believe that all these diesel cars emit too much soot that is bad for our health.

I assume electric would be best for local air quality; which type of car is best for the environment, on a low budget?

It is an interesting conundrum, isn't it. The straightforward and honest answer is: None. All cars, including electric, drain resources whereas public transport is far more efficient.

That out of the way - electric is better in terms of emissions for obvious reasons, it does not have any at the point of use and, with the right sort of contract/supply can be totally emission free. However, the production of batteries is and remains a very harmful operation that causes similar or even worse damage to the planet as extracting oil does, not to mention what to do with used batteries.

We are currently at the tipping point though, low-emission/usage petrol cars, like the VW Bluemotion Polo are still very viable and certainly give electrics a run for their money, especially with the premium priced models. But as more and more people are making the switch the price of electric cars is coming down and infrastructure to charge up is becoming more mature.

I am close to going electric for the daily commute, just waiting on the purchasing price coming down for more... desirable cars. I won't drive a Zoe or Leaf on a daily basis...

It is an interesting conundrum, isn't it. The straightforward and honest answer is: None. All cars, including electric, drain resources whereas public transport is far more efficient.

 

That out of the way - electric is better in terms of emissions for obvious reasons, it does not have any at the point of use and, with the right sort of contract/supply can be totally emission free. However, the production of batteries is and remains a very harmful operation that causes similar or even worse damage to the planet as extracting oil does, not to mention what to do with used batteries.

 

We are currently at the tipping point though, low-emission/usage petrol cars, like the VW Bluemotion Polo are still very viable and certainly give electrics a run for their money, especially with the premium priced models. But as more and more people are making the switch the price of electric cars is coming down and infrastructure to charge up is becoming more mature.

 

I am close to going electric for the daily commute, just waiting on the purchasing price coming down for more... desirable cars. I won't drive a Zoe or Leaf on a daily basis...

Zoe supposedly very good.

On a budget, a small petrol engine, the newer the better in good order not revved to death at every opportunity. Really new ones are tiny with a turbo bolted so you get reasonable performance.

The VED tax was meant to make dirtier cars more expensive, but when you can buy an old car for $200, I think they are still cheaper.

Manufacturing new motor cars involves much more air pollution than is produced by keeping a car for say ten years or more. Be that car diesel electric or petrol so the solution is to encourage people to look after the cars they already own and stop polluting the environment even more by melting them down and starting the whole process over again .

Catch 22 comes to mind.

A pedal car.

Manufacturing new motor cars involves much more air pollution than is produced by keeping a car for say ten years or more. Be that car diesel electric or petrol so the solution is to encourage people to look after the cars they already own and stop polluting the environment even more by melting them down and starting the whole process over again .

Catch 22 comes to mind.

This is actually a very valid point. The car industry is geared up to try and get people in newer cars all the time. Often there is no point. Our Volvo's are usually bought with the idea of keeping them until they don't go any more and that is far more environmentally friendly than replacing them for a newer model with slightly better environmental performance.

---------- Post added 22-12-2016 at 16:37 ----------

Zoe supposedly very good.

Yes, so I've heard, but I wouldn't drive a Clio, so what is the point of driving its electric equivalent? I am not a total car snob (after all, my personal daily driver is a Honda Jazz) but I do want a car that meets my needs rather than have a car that I need to adapt to.

This is actually a very valid point. The car industry is geared up to try and get people in newer cars all the time. Often there is no point. Our Volvo's are usually bought with the idea of keeping them until they don't go any more and that is far more environmentally friendly than replacing them for a newer model with slightly better environmental performance.

 

---------- Post added 22-12-2016 at 16:37 ----------

 

 

Yes, so I've heard, but I wouldn't drive a Clio, so what is the point of driving its electric equivalent? I am not a total car snob (after all, my personal daily driver is a Honda Jazz) but I do want a car that meets my needs rather than have a car that I need to adapt to.

Those were my thoughts when I finally gave up a car for public transport. I can hire a car if I really want to drive somewhere. For the little I need or want to travel Public transport is more economical than a car and less polluting, plus I don't have the hassel of parking. The only drawback is the extra time involved in getting a bus. Rail travel is probably less time on the whole than driving.

This is actually a very valid point. The car industry is geared up to try and get people in newer cars all the time. Often there is no point. Our Volvo's are usually bought with the idea of keeping them until they don't go any more and that is far more environmentally friendly than replacing them for a newer model with slightly better environmental performance.

 

---------- Post added 22-12-2016 at 16:37 ----------

 

 

and at the end of the day your not actually replacing your old car with a new one most of the time, your old car will be passed on to someone else who will continue to drive it while you buy a new one then theres another car on the road.

The boss at work bought a VW XL1 last year, supposed to be a 'Super Economical Vehicle' it has been designed to be as economical as possible apparently. Certainly looks funky enough.

and at the end of the day your not actually replacing your old car with a new one most of the time, your old car will be passed on to someone else who will continue to drive it while you buy a new one then theres another car on the road.

That is the theory but not actually how it works, the total number of cars in the world is going up rapidly whilst demand, theoretically should be stagnating.