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
129 points (93.9% liked)
Electric Vehicles
1484 readers
137 users here now
Overview:
Electric Vehicles are a key part of our tomorrow and how we get there. If we can get all the fossil fuel vehicles off our roads, out of our seas and out of our skies, we'll have a much better environment. This community is where we discuss the various different vehicles and news stories regarding electric transportation.
Related communities:
- !automotive@discuss.tchncs.de
- !avs@futurology.today
- !byd@lemmy.world
- !ebike@lemm.ee
- !energy@slrpnk.net
- !geely@lemmy.world
- !micromobility@lemmy.world
- !polestar@lemmy.ca
- !rivian@lemmy.zip
- !teslamotors@lemmy.zip
- !xiaomi@lemdro.id
founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
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!
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.
Wow. Let's not pretend that cars clean the environment
An electric car is less bad than an ICE car. But no car is better than any car.