Quote:
Originally Posted by l2ridehd
It seems to be another "not in my backyard discussion". Actually electric is more expensive to operate then gas when you add the cost of the batteries to the daily pro-rated cost. And do you think those millions of old batteries don't pollute somewhere? How about the coal burned or nuclear fuel to generate the electricity to charge the batteries? Oh, but you don't see that so it's OK?
If you want to zoom around The Villages in your golf cart, and most of us do, you are causing damage to the environment someplace with both gas and electric. Just not in "your backyard". So all you folks who think your doing a great service by selecting electric need to look at the total picture, not just what you see. From an environment view one is no better then the other. As to which you prefer for other reasons, those arguments have some validity.
|
While I don't endorse the hostility rummaging beneath the surface of the post, what he says is fairly accurate. The other thing you have to consider is that lead/acid batteries DO produce pollution, specifically sulfuric acid fumes, which is a carcinogen. The real 'danger' of lead acid batteries is the accumulation of sulfuric acid in an enclosed space (like your garage) during the charging process. Lead Acid batteries can vent sulfuric acid during the charging process (so they don't explode) and, as they age, they do get leaks. Sulfuric acid is technically an odorless, colorless gas so, you won't know if you're exposed.
The point is that people should not think that, because they are using lead acid batteries rather than an internal combustion engine, that they are not polluting. They are.
My wife and I have been batting the 'electric vs gas' thing around for over a year now and, while the idea of electric is attractive, I don't think I would go that route until I can get a cart powered by some form of battery other than lead acid (perhaps the lithium ion that are being used in cars like the Volt and Leaf). But, those batteries are hideously expensive compared to lead acid (at least until we get some economies of scale going) so they aren't being used in Carts extensively yet.