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How is it a lazy argument? I think it pretty well established that running an existing vehicle has a far lower environmental and social cost than manufacturing a new one
In addition I would say it is an anti-consumerism position rather than anti-electric and how is running a knackered old car ever cool, there is far more social credit to be gained from showing off your shiny new EV
greentricky-
It’s lazy because it might have been true in 2015 or maybe even 2018 and it might be true for some old cars now but with the increased and increasing % of electricity generated in the UK being renewable and the increasingly green battery manufacture and recycling, it would only take around 25k miles (2yrs for me) of driving that Range Rover before the Tesla is better for the planet on lifetime emissions.
Example calcs from several studies are available. A quick google:
https://www.boundless.co.uk/be-inspired/driving/is-keeping-my-old-car-greener-than-buying-a-new-ev
Soul
Or…. The lease on my massive v6 diesel Range Rover was up and there was no option to buy, so I swapped for an electric vehicle. Or… my wife needed a little run around car for the little one so we got a second electric car too.
People “need” new things all the time. You should try not to assume why and maybe focus your edgy opinions on people buying new petrol, diesel or hybrid vehicles instead.
I also strongly dispute the ‘run it into the ground’ spiel. Aside from the obvious local emissions piece, there is consumables which aren’t present in electric vehicles (oil etc) that continue to pollute as well as noise pollution. Then there’s all the additional plastics, rubbers and metals created and stocked to keep old vehicles on the road and the manufacturing pollutant cost of those.
It’s a lazy argument because being anti-electric cars is the new “wannabe cool”.