Forget saving the planet, driving an electric car will save your life

[madokie]

The failure to persuade a sizable percentage of Americans that climate change poses a clear and present danger is one of the great failures in marketing and the subject of considerable debate among scientists, academics and politicians. But there is one argument for taking action against global warming that has resonated: health.

When the Koch brothers and two Texas oil companies bankrolled a California ballot initiative in 2010 to gut the state’s landmark global warming law, billionaire activists activist Tom Steyer and his allies defeated the measure in part by arguing not that it would lead to climate catastrophe but would harm Californians’ health by allowing petroleum giants to pollute while keeping smog-creating cars on the road.

Now there are some hard numbers to back up those claims. A study released this week by the Environmental Defense Fund and the California chapter of the American Lung Association analyzed the impact of California’s cap-and-trade emissions program – which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020 – as well as the state’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS), which mandates a 10 percent reduction in the carbon intensity of transportation fuels by 2020.

“By 2025, the health benefits of the LCFS and [cap-and-trade] will save $8.3 billion in pollution-related health costs such as avoided hospital visits and lost work days,” the report states. “In addition, these policies will prevent 38,000 asthma attacks as well as 600 heart attacks, 880 premature deaths, and almost 75,000 lost work days – all caused by air pollution.”

http://grist.org/climate-energy/forget-saving-the-planet-driving-an-electric-car-will-save-your-life/

[quakerboy]

1. Forget about abstracts like long term health, Driving an electric car will save your life now

Its my understanding that you cant find a car with a better crash test rating than a Tesla. All these people talking about how they need an SUV to be safe from all the other drivers would be well advised to reconsider based on actual facts.

[tofuandbeer]

2. I don't see it so much anymore (maybe because I don't commute on the freeways)

but I used to see SUV's on their side several times each year.
SUV drivers slam on the brakes, turn the wheel, and the thing topples over.
Maybe the auto makers have improved on it since (10 years ago), I dunno.

[Major Nikon]

5. It's mostly a thing of the past

SUVs still have a higher center of gravity, so in the right situation they are still more likely to roll over than a car, but stability technology standard on pretty much all passenger vehicles reduces that likelihood much lower than before.

[davidthegnome]

3. Can't afford one.

What is the average price for a Tesla now, anyway? I know that there are some electric cars selling at roughly sixty five thousand dollars. I haven't got that kind of money. I make eight dollars an hour and pay way too much for a used ford focus (200 a month for the next five years or so).

[txwhitedove]

4. Love my Prius C! Buy a used Prius....

2012 Toyota Prius C
Average Resale Value: $17,392
MPG Range: 53 - 46 mpg
Bodystyles: Hatchback

Read more: http://www.motortrend.com/used_cars/09/2012/toyota/prius_c/#ixzz32zmehd1C

[RoccoR5955]

6. I would have to agree...

As a proud Prius owner for the past 3 years, and almost 60,000 miles, I can say that it is very reliable. It is also the cheapest vehicle to run, as its fuel economy is not matched by any other mainstream auto.
And they are not small inside. When I fold down the seats, I can even sleep in the back.
They hold their value, so you might spend a little more for one than a Focus, but it would be worth it.
And once you learn how to get the most gas out of your Prius, it will cost even less.

[hobbit709]

7. Now go to the Prius dealer and tell him you make $8/hr and see what happens.

[RoccoR5955]

9. I wouldn't go to the Toyota dealer

I would go to a reasonably reliable and reputable auto reseller. Used Prii are EVERYWHERE.

[hobbit709]

10. And tell HIM then that you make $8/hr.

[RoccoR5955]

11. You might be surprised.

It's amazing what some of these used car dealers will do to make a sale!

[txwhitedove]

12. I drive only Toyotas since Hurrican Katrina. They treat me like a queen, great service, great cars.

My Prius C is just icing. Single grandma raising grandkids, don't make a lot of money, but Toyota financed my car.

[csziggy]

15. Yes! Used ones, even older models are reliable

Last fall when my husband totaled his SUV (2004 GMC Envoy), I found a 2006 Prius II in great shape at a used car lot. We walked out the door for $8500 - even a friend who is a salesman at the local Honda dealer thought it was a really good deal.

The Prius is comfortable, more than the Envoy was, we can carry a lot of stuff in it considering it is a smallish car, and the gas saving are phenomenal - we average 45-50 mpg.

We never buy new and we always drive our cars until we kill them (though the Envoy is the first one we've killed in an accident) so the Prius is a long term investment for us. I expect to get ten years or more of use from it.

[whatthehey]

8. the Teslas will be beyond you but possibly not EVs

You can lease EVs for less than your Focus payment though.

As long as your commute is <70 a day you'd pay about 20% the fuel cost.

[quakerboy]

13. That seems hard to believe

I haven't seen any EV's available for less than that, unless you mean electric bikes. And you wouldn't lease those, so I suspect that's not what you are referencing.

Care to elaborate?

[whatthehey]

14. Sure

http://www.plugincars.com/99-ev-lease-deals-are-out-there-if-you-look-hard-129331.html