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Environmentalist

vehicles), and are less convenient because of

of the National Academy of Sciences and

the lack of driving range and the necessity

the National Academy of Engineering criti-

Amory Lovins

of long refueling times. New battery

cized the technology as not environmental-

has called electric

options to increase driving range aggravate

ly cost-effective.1 6 2

vehicles "else-

the cost disadvantage.1 5 4

Natural Gas and Propane Vehicles

Electric vehicles are touted as being 97

where emission"

percent cleaner than conventional vehicles.

Like electric vehicles and solar and wind

vehicles.

But studies have shown that the tradeoffs

applications, gas-powered vehicles were

with economics and convenience are not

once economically viable without govern-

matched by emission reductions, since most

ment subsidy. At the turn of the century

of the electricity is generated by fossil fuels.1 5 5

demonstration coal-gas vehicles could be

found in major metropolitan areas.

Environmentalist Amory Lovins has called

Decades later propane vehicles became

electric vehicles "elsewhere emission" vehi-

cles.1 5 6  A team of experts from the

commonplace in rural settings (farms in

particular) where refueling limitations were

Massachusetts Institute of Technology con-

less of a constraint and the fuel was not

cluded that electric vehicles yield an "imper-

subject to motor fuels taxation. Vehicles

ceptible overall environmental benefit" since

fueled by compressed natural gas have been

up to 65 percent of fossil energy is lost when

fewer and more recent.1 6 3

burned to generate electricity, and 5 percent

to 10 percent of the generated electricity is

Largely because of ratepayer subsidies,

lost in transmission and distribution.1 5 7

which allowed utilities to pass fleet conver-

sion costs on to their captive customers, a

Battery wastes are another unique envi-

number of natural gas distribution compa-

ronmental problem with electric vehicles,

nies converted fleet vehicles to natural gas

given that gasoline is now lead free.

and erected related infrastructure in the

Complained Dan Becker of the Sierra Club,

1970s and early 1980s. But conversions

"[Electric vehicle] batteries are filled with

proved to be technologically problematic as

badness--things like lead and cadmium."1 5 8

well as expensive and inconvenient relative

Sodium-sulfur batteries and other substi-

to conventional vehicles.1 6 4 The effort also

tutes introduce their own set of environmen-

tal and safety problems.1 5 9 But even if the

lost momentum as gasoline and diesel

prices fell beginning in 1981.

environmental problems with batteries are

In the late 1980s a second effort to pro-

overcome, their sheer size, weight, and

mote natural gas vehicles commenced with

expense are formidable arguments against

greater emphasis on dedicated vehicles

their replacing the $50 fuel tank of conven-

tional vehicles.1 6 0 Operational problems with

than on converted conventional vehicles. In

addition to support from state utility regu-

batteries in cold-weather climates add to

lators, subsidies and vehicle purchase man-

those problems.1 6 1

dates from the federal government (such as

A hybrid electric vehicle, which com-

those in the Energy Policy Act of 1992) were

bines an internal combustion engine with

adopted. Falling natural gas prices and

battery-powered

electronics,

shows

plentiful supply were also coming into play.

promise, particularly in heavy-duty trucks

The improved position of natural gas vehi-

using diesel. Onboard recharging offers

cles was evident when the CEC reported in

advantages over dedicated electric vehicles.

the 1995 Fuels Report:

Yet the use of diesel or gasoline reduces the

alleged environmental benefits of onboard

In the late 1980s, methanol was tout-

recharging, and the complexity of the

ed as the alternate fuel of choice in the

hybrid design results in a significant cost

transportation sector. Now natural

premium compared with conventional

gas is beginning to assume that role,

vehicles. That is why a study by a committee

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