don't electric cars still use fossil fuels to some degree (i.e. oil) when you plug them in?

Esmeralda Pigram: Of course they do, but they they do get some reduction in overall pollution due to the difference in efficiencies of the motor driven vs the internal combustion engine. For me, the cost and inconvenience of the electric car is not worth it. As for using our tax dollars to subsidize these vehicles is silly. Subsidies are not FREE. It is our hard-earned tax dollars being given to a corporation selling something that will not stand on it's own merits....Show more

Matt Tiry: Depending upon the scope of your examination an electrical vehicle system may involve fossil fuels but if you are waiting for a perfect, 100% solution before you make any decision then the decision process is flawed and not the the vehicle. Electric cars don't need transmissions or oil or filter changes. But the IC engine does so even if an IC engine uses an alternative fuel it requires petrochemicals for the engine and transmission oil changes. This oil when improperly disposed! of is causing the worlds largest oil spill each year.1 The electric motor can be permanently lubricated and produces no emissions. If all vehicles were electric they would represent about 15% of our electrical power usage. Our electrical production may need to be cleaned up but not because of the electrical car usage. The electric car is so efficient with its power that even thought each btu produced with coal releases more carbon than the btu produced from oil, the amount released per mile is about 1/3 with an electric car compared to a petrochemical vehicle.2`With the tax incentives the Nissan Leaf is about the same price or less of an average car.3 If someone can afford a new car they should be able to afford a leaf....Show more

Iris Shawcroft: Not necessarily. The nice thing about electricity is it *can* come from a number of different sources. Even if the cars use coal, there is more available than oil. Electricity can also be nuclear, wind, solar, or ge! othermal.

Darrel Stele: Coal and natural gas electricity! does make up a great deal of our power. That is an issue. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't still make and own electric cars.otherwise it's like saying "isn't there still another mile to travel after we're finished with the first mile?"Yes, there is, but we should go the first mile anyway, then when we go the second mile, we'll be there....Show more