To the Editor:

With the energy transition comes much fear of the consequences. One area of concern is the supposed great mass of waste to be created from using all this so-called green stuff. Let’s have a look. 

To illustrate I use a common family car- the Kia Kona. The Kona has both gas and electric versions making a comparison of the relative amounts of stuff used in each straightforward.  

Because of the batteries evs are generally heavier than their gas-powered counterparts. This seems to be one source of the waste concern. If a car were only its parts then the point about waste might have merit. But a car is much more than its engine and wheels. It’s also the energy used to power it.  

The gas-powered Kona has a curb weight of 3,270 lbs while the EV weighs in at 3,890 lbs. The national average for car life is 12 years and annual miles driven are 12,500. The Kona’s gas tank is 13.2 gallons while fuel efficiency is 35 MPG. The density of gasoline is 6 lbs per gallon. Charging an ev via solar takes about 700 lbs of equipment. From these the lifetime weight of stuff related to each car can be calculated.  

Total lifetime gasoline weight works out to 27,700 lbs. Over that same period the EV requires no additional stuff. The electrons are already in the batteries. Charging just moves them around a bit.  

Combining the base weight of the car, and the energy stuff to power it yields a lifetime weight for the EV of 4,590 lbs. The gasoline car breaks the scales at 31,000 lbs.  That’s 6.75 times the weight of stuff that goes into an EV. 

The story does not end there. 

Burned gasoline doesn’t just disappear. Its waste enters our air via the tailpipe. Where it isn’t recycled but does cause health and environmental problems. EVs are recyclable. And even if not recycled the weight of waste from an ev is a fraction of the waste from the gasoline car.  

So, if you’re worried about excess weight you’ve been carrying around now you know how to shed a few lbs the easy way. No exercise required. Replace your gasoline powered car. With gas prices going up, and ev prices coming down, you’ll be glad you did. 

Scott Shipley
Hermon