[geeks] Global Warming questions...

[wa2egp at att.net]

> but large util power plants are considerably more efficient than your
> car's engine running at part throttle.  they're more efficient even if
> your car's a diesel.

If we're talking about pollution, efficiency doesn't have much effect.
A perfect engine does not have efficiency over a certain amount, see
any physics book.  An electric motor can be up over 90% but losses in
batteries, charging, transmission and generation could negate some of 
that gain.

>" ...and if batteries magically become pollution free... :)

Nothing in a car is pollution free. 
 
> this is imho the dirty little secret about current electric and/or
> hybrid cars.  i wonder what the recycling impact of all those prius
> battery packs will be?

What dirty little secret?  People don't think of it just as they don't
think of the environmmental cost of making a car and disposing of it.

Bob