This is often repeated and very damaging misinformation. An EV powered purely by coal is significantly better for the environment than an ICE car over its lifetime. This is because coal fired power plants are more efficient than internal combustion engines due to economies of scale, even after taking into account transmission losses.

https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/when-do-electric-vehicles-become-cleaner-than-gasoline-cars-2021-06-29/#:~:text=Even%20in%20the%20worst%20case,grams%2C%20the%20Reuters%20analysis%20showed.

[–] ClaireDeLuna@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

Oh today I learned, TBH my information was probably out of date. But this is good to know. Definitely a step in the right direction even if more diversified public transportation options are better

[–] pivot_root@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

It's more so outdated parroting than deliberate misinformation. A lot of the times I see people trying to back this one up, it's with Hawkins et al.'s Comparative environmental life cycle assessment of conventional and electric vehicles paper. A 2012 study that analyzes emissions based on manufacturing and energy production capabilities of the time doesn't hold up well over a decade later.

You would think that would be obvious, but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[–] TigrisMorte@kbin.social 3 points 1 year ago

Most coal has shifted to natural gas in the US.