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Buying an electric car pleases Mother Nature... depending on where you drive

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Khatir Soltani
By introducing electric vehicles (EV) on the market, automakers have increased their fight against oil dependence and become greener than ever. Of course, most people rightfully applaud this move and its positive impact on the environment, particularly once EVs grow mainstream. After all, using electricity instead of fossil fuels seems like a better way to please Mother Nature, doesn't it?

Well, it all depends on where you drive and what said electricity is made from.

Photo: Luc Gagné/Auto123.com

Let's start with Canada. In Quebec and British Columbia, hydroelectricity – a renewable energy considered to be ''clean'' – serves as the main power source. In fact, it represents 94 and 90 percent of all the electricity produced, respectively. So, logically, buying a new EV in these two provinces truly helps the environment.

In Ontario, not so much. Half of the electricity comes from four nuclear plants and only 22 percent is made from water. Coal (16 %) and natural gas (6 %) complete the picture. That means more than three quarters of the electricity that could potentially be used to power EVs is ''dirty''. Consequently, driving an EV here would ease your wallet much more than Earth's CO2 burden.

But while Ontario trails Quebec and B.C. in terms of environmentally-friendly electricity, it probably makes Greenpeace proud when compared with some U.S. states.

Colorado
  • 83 percent of the electricity comes from coal plants.
  • Renewable energy sources account for 14 percent, including wind power (8.5 %), hydroelectricity (5.3 %), solar power (0.1 %) and biomass (0.1 %).
Texas
  • 90.8 percent of the energy produced in the state is non-renewable. In 2010, the three main sources were natural gas (38.2 %), coal (39.5 %) and nuclear power (13.1 %).
  • Only wind turbines (7.8 %) play a significant part to produce clean energy.
California
  • Despite being known for its strict environmental standards and policies, the Golden State uses natural gas (45.2 %), coal (16.6 %) and nuclear power (14.8 %) to produce 76.6 percent of its electricity.
  • Hydroelectricity (14.3 %), geothermal energy (4.5 %), biomass (2.1 %), wind power (2.3 %) and solar power (0.2 %) are the top renewable energy sources.
Photo: Ford
Khatir Soltani
Khatir Soltani
Automotive expert
As a car enthusiast, he tests and compares vehicles from different categories through the eyes of the consumer, ensuring relevant and objective reviews.
  • Over 6 years experience as a car reviewer
  • Over 50 test drives in the last year
  • Involved in discussions with virtually every auto manufacturer in Canada