01/27 (LWN-Commentary) In recent months and years, there has been a great deal of talk about the need for electric cars. Electric vehicle proponents have gone so far as to call for the government to help fund their manufacture and sale. It is widely believed that electric cars provide the solution to all of the environmental and energy-related problems of transportation, because they release no emissions and don't require gasoline. Yet the obstacle of producing energy to power these vehicles is seldom discussed...

At present, 48% of electricity produced in the United States is generated with coal, and 22% with natural gas. Both are finite resources which create pollution as they are turned into electric power. If many automobiles start being powered with electricity, there is little doubt that these fuels (along with petroleum) would be used to generate much of it, hastening their depletion. Nuclear power is available as well, but it should be remembered that uranium is also a finite resource and few localities welcome nuclear waste.

Electric car supporters often point to the ability of their vehicles to be charged with renewable energy sources. While this is certainly possible, wind and solar power stations are expensive and have yet to power a large portion of normal electricity - let alone millions of automobiles. Even if enough power could be generated from these resources, one must question the environmental impact of installing countless new wind, solar, and hydroelectric plants across the landscape.

If electric cars are to be powered with renewable energy, the necessary wind/solar/hydro generation capacity should be established before efforts to undertake a widespread changeover to electric vehicles. Either way, measures to reduce individual transportation remain important, such as expanding railroads, improving pedestrian accessibility, and adopting more fuel-efficient work schedules. Implementing renewable, non-polluting energy production will remain far too expensive as long as there are 100-mile commutes, 600-watt "gaming computers", and 70F thermostats.