Can electric cars be the savior of Beijing's smog? The answer is no

According to the Christian Science Monitor, Beijing experienced a record three consecutive days of heavy smog last week, and everyone is getting used to the red alert for smog. However, the worsening pollution has made people more fond of pure electric vehicles, but are electric vehicles really the savior of smog? According to relevant regulations, all conventional and hybrid vehicles must be restricted during the red alert period for smog, but the regulations do not mention pure electric vehicles. In addition, many cities have also introduced subsidies and preferential policies for purchasing electric vehicles. Buying such vehicles can save car owners up to 100,000 yuan.

Smog surrounds the city

The introduction of these preferential policies has made consumers eager to catch the wave of environmental protection, but are electric cars really the nemesis of smog?

Unfortunately, the answer is no. Even if all Chinese car owners switched to electric cars overnight, the air pollution problem would not necessarily be completely solved.

Ironically, a recent Carnegie Mellon University study shows that China's increase in electric vehicle ownership may actually coincide with an increase in air pollution. Although electric vehicles reduce gasoline pollution, electric vehicles need to be charged, and electricity is generated by power plants that burn coal, so electric vehicles are secretly transferring pollution. A full switch to electric vehicles may increase the burden on the power grid, causing more serious air pollution.

Experts said: "The total amount of global greenhouse gas emissions will not be significantly reduced due to the development of electric vehicle technology. The increase in electric vehicles will even aggravate China's pollution. Many car companies vigorously promote electric vehicles just to boost sales by hyping new technologies."

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.