Except they aren't sensible when you consider the amount of resource extraction that is required for the lithium and rare earth metals involved, especially given the current carrying capacity and life expectancy of those batteries. It is literally more resource intensive to try to replace a sixth of the cars in the U.S. with electric cars than to try to refurbish and manufacture new parts for older cars. Personal car travel is not the main contributor to environmental stress, it is the infrastructure, shipping and manufacturing around cars that is environmentally devastating.
The tech just isn't there in a way to provide as a 'stepping stone'. Hybrids, maybe, full electric, no. But imo any step that serves as a justification to continue designing cities around cars is a recipe for long term environmental disaster.
Except they aren't sensible when you consider the amount of resource extraction that is required for the lithium and rare earth metals involved, especially given the current carrying capacity and life expectancy of those batteries. It is literally more resource intensive to try to replace a sixth of the cars in the U.S. with electric cars than to try to refurbish and manufacture new parts for older cars. Personal car travel is not the main contributor to environmental stress, it is the infrastructure, shipping and manufacturing around cars that is environmentally devastating.
The tech just isn't there in a way to provide as a 'stepping stone'. Hybrids, maybe, full electric, no. But imo any step that serves as a justification to continue designing cities around cars is a recipe for long term environmental disaster.
new electric cars are better than new gas cars after a couple years