Electric cars run on dirty coal

The March 9 letter to the editor "Electric cars key to lower emissions" notes that "Electric vehicles (all-electric, not hybrids) do not emit any air pollutants -- they have no tail pipes."

This statement is correct but it does not recognize that the electrical energy used to power the car must be generated. In Wisconsin, electricity is generated primarily from coal and natural gas. As a result, use of electric vehicles does contribute air pollutants and climate change gases...

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Ken Notes: Sanford A. Klein, Madison, emeritus professor of mechanical engineering, UW-Madison is truly a well informed mechanical engineer and is correct in everything he says. Soon a great engineer will solve all of the problems he goes on to identify. While that is happening we need to advance the technologies we have now so that we are ready for the solutions as they become available. So while Professor Klein is a brilliant mechanical engineer I always want a theoretical engineer in the room...