This title kind of sucks. Not making the air as dirty is not the same thing as cleaning the air. "Did you clean your room?" "Yes, by only making it 17% dirtier!"
this post was submitted on 28 May 2025
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Electric Vehicles
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I partly agree. IMHO dust emmissions specifically aren't really comparable to your 'dirty room' example. In contrast to a dirty room, the air cleans itself automatically. Particles settle, dissolve or are washed out by the rain over time. So the cleanliness of the air is more a ratio of pollution over time. If we reduce the levels of new pollution and wait a bit, the air will be cleaner permanently. If you keep throwing trash into your room with a lower frequency, it still piles up higher and higher.
That doesn't mean that EVs are better than no cars at all, especially not if you consider other environmental aspects as well. But 'polluting less' does lead to a better air quality.
Just to extend a bit, 117℅ is way better than 200%, but its delusional to think it is saving the environment. What was said in this thread about the EV being heavier causes more particles from the tires should be factored in.
The primary reason for this is the use of regenerative braking, meaning that electric vehicles can slow down without rubbing friction brakes. Other vehicles that use regenerative braking reduced brake emissions too, with Hybrids reducing them by 10-48%, and PHEVs by 66%.
Great read, lotta neat stuff!
EVs are generally heavier, meaning more tire wear, so I'm skeptical that the reduction is all that meaningful. We need real public transit and density. Wish car manufacturers never bought up the streetcars and trolleys, they effectively killed public transit in the US pretty early on.
EVs are generally heavier, meaning more tire wear, so I’m skeptical that the reduction is all that meaningful.
Yeah this was my first thought as well. In the balance, I have no doubt that EVs are better for the environment than ICEVs, but when we're nitpicking about particulates coming out of wear and tear, the weight issue has got to play into that.
In North America, people tend to drive automobiles that are way bigger than they need to be. I have read that this is in part due to auto dealers enjoying larger margins on big vehicles and encouraging this on their clientele. But EVs are different. Bigger means more batteries means more expensive to manufacture. So the sweet spot in terms of profit margins may be something smaller? But whether this will translate into fewer SUVs and pickups on the road I don't know.
Wish car manufacturers never bought up the streetcars and trolleys, they effectively killed public transit in the US pretty early on.
At least it seems light rail is having a moment. I grew up in Toronto where they never did give up on streetcars, though there was a close call (in the 80s I think it was) when the auto lobby tried to have them removed. Fortunately, the mayor at the time was a huge fan. And now it seems the street cars have been upgraded to 3-car light rail.
And LRTs seem to be popping up all over the US too. Do you know the way to San Jose? It's light rail. That system's been around forever, but I was surprised on my last visit to Phoenix to see an LRT whiz by. That's about as car-centric a city as I could possibly imagine.
Thru regen braking, EVs reduce that (but bikes are even better!)
In fairness, regen braking is not all that common in ebikes, though some models do have it now. But bikes are better for the environment than cars in every way regardless.
It's not that ebikes are regen braking, it's that bikes are throwing less brake pad dust into the air due to the lower mass and velocity of the object involved.
A single brake pad on a car is around the size of the sole of a shoe, and they use 4. A bikes brake pad is around the size of a thumbnail, and you only need 2.