The 2035 target is part of the country's plan to achieve a net-zero emissions economy by 2050, with the federal government already offering a $5000 subsidy for purchases of EVs priced under $55,000, with the province of Quebec adding a maximum of $8000 on top of that federal subsidy. In 2020 the government of Quebec announced an identical plan to phase out the sales of gas and diesel passenger models in the province by 2035, and aims for 22% of new car sales to be zero-emission far sooner, by 2025.
I think this analysis ignores that most coal power plants are located in remote areas, often on high ridges outside of polluted air basins unlike gasoline automobiles. Moreover, natural gas power plants put far fewer traditional emissions than gasoline engines on a per mile basis. Electric cars don't have tailpipe emissions.
I think the national obsession over climate change is unhealthy, when we should be more concerned about controlling urban emissions in air basins that significantly out of compliance. Climate change emissions have the lowest impact on the environment compared to nearly any other form of pollution.
U.S. traffic deaths rose 7% last year, the biggest increase in 13 years even though people drove fewer miles due to the coronavirus pandemic, the government's road safety agency reported Thursday.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration blamed the increase on drivers taking more risks on less-congested roads by speeding, failing to wear seat belts, or driving while impaired by drugs or alcohol.
An estimated 38,680 people died in traffic crashes last year, the most of any year since 2007, the agency said in releasing preliminary numbers. Final numbers normally come out in the fall.
The increase came even though the number of miles traveled by vehicle fell 13% from 2019.
It turns out that the repair and reliability of Teslas has proven quite good over the past 13 years of their existence - occasional battery failure and improvements needed in the serviceability of the battery system but not unlike engine failures in internal combustion cars.