Biofuels and a Technology Neutral Strategy the Better Approach
For Immediate Release:
Washington, D.C., June 12, 2023: The widespread introduction of electric vehicles as a means of reducing carbon emissions presents a far greater challenge than the public is being led to believe, according to new research by the Clean Fuels Development Coalition (CFDC).
This conclusion is presented in Reality EV: No Silver Bullet, a new Issue Brief released here this week. Reality EV’s research explains the consumer/taxpayer, infrastructure, and environmental constraints single fuel source electric vehicles (EVs) must overcome to live up to their often-claimed perfect solution. In addition, it is estimated that a $2-3 trillion dollar government/taxpayer investment is needed for EVs to replace 50% of the consumer fleet.
CFDC Executive Director Doug Durante said this research is not intended to dismiss the potential contribution of EVs but rather to put them in perspective. “EVs will clearly be a key part of our transportation mix but the reality of cost, consumer choice, re-charging, and many other factors indicates we need to make sure biofuels remain part of the mix,” said Durante.
“Mandating EVs and banning the internal combustion engine is simply bad policy, force feeding something that is not ready at the expense of the public.”
Regardless of if and when EVs meet all the challenges any new fuel would face, the brief details how the U.S. will continue to use trillions of gallons of gasoline. There are 280 million light duty vehicles registered in the U.S., with 12-15 million or more new cars sold every year. These cars have an average 15 year life span, meaning gasoline will remain the predominant fuel of the next several decades.
“Increasing the octane of gasoline with clean burning ethanol allows for automakers to produce much more efficient vehicles that can provide health and climate benefits now, not decades from now, ” said Durante.
Copies of the Issue Brief can be downloaded here for hardcopies please contact cfdcinc@aol.com. To view the print edition on line, click here.