Volkswagen: UK motorists begin mass claim over emissions scandal

Car_54

sevenhills wrote: »

Maybe they dont have money to burn?

That is no answer to my question.

Aylesbury_Duck

Car_54 wrote: »

Are you suggesting that those of us who choose not to buy EVs are in some way unethical?

Well we are behaving unethically in doing so. The same way we are when we choose to fly on holiday. No point denying it, we all know the relatively increased harm we're doing by making those choices so yes, it's an unethical choice.

motorguy

Aylesbury_Duck wrote: »

Well we are behaving unethically in doing so. The same way we are when we choose to fly on holiday. No point denying it, we all know the relatively increased harm we're doing by making those choices so yes, it's an unethical choice.

I would suggest that the majority of people could make / be making more ethical choices in their life that dont involve yet another car on the roads, particularly one using up valuable earth resources in order to make its batteries. And whats ethical about driving an EV if the electric is generated using fossil or nuclear fuel anyway?

Frankly debating the merits of any particular car fuel is a bit like debating what form of cancer is best to die from.

motorguy

sevenhills wrote: »

Maybe they dont have money to burn?

And thats the summary of the ethics then is it?

AdrianC

If somebody thinks electric vehicles are the only ethical personal transport option, but they can't afford an electric car, then electric bikes are available.

Just as non-electric bikes are available for those who can't afford non-electric cars...

sevenhills

Car_54 wrote: »

That is no answer to my question.

Owning any vehicle is bad for the environment. I own a 1.7 diesel, I did try being car-less for a few years, but it does put you at a disadvantage.

Aylesbury_Duck

motorguy wrote: »

I would suggest that the majority of people could make / be making more ethical choices in their life that dont involve yet another car on the roads, particularly one using up valuable earth resources in order to make its batteries. And whats ethical about driving an EV if the electric is generated using fossil or nuclear fuel anyway?

Frankly debating the merits of any particular car fuel is a bit like debating what form of cancer is best to die from.

I agree to an extent, but I think the benefits to the immediate environment from EVs make them a more ethical choice than ICEs. Putting the longer-term global impacts of the two types to one side (and I agree that both are harmful in that respect), the issue of air quality has an immediate impact on health and an EV does much less harm than a "normal" car.

AdrianC

Aylesbury_Duck wrote: »

Putting the longer-term global impacts of the two types to one side

Can you?

the issue of air quality has an immediate impact on health and an EV does much less harm than a "normal" car.

On a very local level in dense urban centres - but the private car is totally unnecessary in dense urban centres.

Or, rather, it would be relatively easy to remove the few last remaining edge-case barriers to it being so.

Mostly, it already is, and the excuses are merely self-indulgent - but that doesn't prevent people from using them. Giving them the excuse of "but ECO! <hugs passing bunny>" merely perpetuates that.

almillar

And whats ethical about driving an EV if the electric is generated using fossil or nuclear fuel anyway?

Not arguing about the ethics things, but the argument to this is, that there is less burnt in the first place, no matter what it is (an electric motor takes you furthest for the energy put in), and there's a possibility of it being renewable.

Johno100

I thought nuclear energy was considered a green alternative to fossil fuels by all but the most extreme tree huggers.