NOTE FROM TED: This talk reflects the speaker's personal views and interpretation only. Several statements in this lecture lack scientific support. We flagged this talk because it falls outside the content guidelines that TED provides to TEDx organizers. TEDx events are independently organized by volunteers. The guidelines we provide to TEDx organizers are described in more detail here: http://storage.ted.com/tedx/manuals/tedx_content_guidelines.pdf

This talk will challenge the popular perception that battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are environmentally friendly, and argue that we are wrongly marketing the introduction of these vehicles. BEVs are commonly sold under the guise of 'Zero Emissions', a claim that is inherently untrue. Brake pads cause emissions, just like
tires and even interiors in sunlight. The electricity that powers BEVs is generated by power plants, 64% of which burn fossil fuels in the US; fossil fuels that contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and global warming. More importantly, there are significant CO2 emissions
that is created during the production of the battery pack, which means that to offset the carbon created during the production process, a BEV must drive 40,000 to 100,000 miles before it is environmentally comparable to a gasoline-powered vehicle. Hybrid vehicles, on the other hand
which combine much smaller batteries with efficient combustion engines, prove to be a much better option for reducing global CO2 emissions. Unfortunately, they don't get the same marketable 'kudos' or policy support as full BEVs. We're going in the wrong direction
rollout of BEVs before production and electricity generation are made CO2 neutral. Dr. Graham Conway is chief engineer in the Automotive Division of the Southwest Research Institute. Over the past ten years he has focused on evaluating automotive technologies and advising automotive companies and suppliers. This gives him unique insights and perspectives on the industry. He is passionate about making vehicles more efficient to secure the future of the planet and has a message about some common misconceptions about electric and non-electric vehicles. This talk was delivered at a TEDx event in the TED conference format, but independently organized by a local community. For more information, visit https://www.ted.com/tedx

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