GOLDEN, Colo. — We hear how electric vehicles are better for the planet. No tail pipe emissions mean much less pollution.
But for many, making that change from gas-powered vehicles to zero emissions is not the easiest.
"The transportation sector accounts for a little over a quarter of the United States greenhouse gas emissions," said Chris Hoehne, a climate and transportation expert at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden.
"In terms of tailpipe emissions from cars, the vast majority of it is carbon dioxide that's contributing to warming."
Hoehne and a team of researchers ran thousands of computer simulations. Their goal was to determine what steps are needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from passenger and freight travel.
The study found 80% of vehicles sold in the next ten years need to be zero emission in order to meet 2050 targets to curb warming. That is why the researchers want to get this information out now.
"This is really research that we want, you know, policymakers, decision makers, to be able to tap into and understand kind of the urgent need if we are to reach some of those goals that we've set," Hoehne said.
In the meantime, there are other things we can do to help. Traveling and driving less would cut down on greenhouse emissions, as would transitioning to electric bikes or scooters. And, of course, taking public transit.
And if we don't achieve this 80 percent zero emission vehicle goal in ten years?
"We might just be stuck with a little bit more extreme heat, and other extreme weather events," said Hoehne, "If we can live to deal with some of those and still reduce a lot of our emissions over the next 20 to 30 years, that means that we could still have a planet that's worth saving and worth living on."
The study also showed the need to expand the size of the electricity grid to account for more EV's with the emphasis on clean, renewable energy. It suggested switching to hydrogen powered vehicles would also help reduce greenhouse gas levels.
Both electric vehicles and those that use hydrogen fuel cells produce no carbon dioxide, which is a potent greenhouse gas.
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