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Does an electric car emit less carbon than a train?
I really care about the environment, but I’m not sure if it’s better to drive my electric car or take a train for long distances. I live in San Diego, and I use the Amtrak quite a bit to travel to LA for work. At times, driving and taking the train can take the same amount of time. Does an electric car emit less carbon than a train?
Elaine Duvet · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
That’s a very smart thing to consider! Trains can actually be much better than driving, especially with these soaring gas prices! They’re also about three times more efficient than internal combustion vehicles, with a lower energy consumption per person. But are they more efficient than electric cars?
Here’s what we know about the carbon emitted by electric cars and trains:
- Operational carbon emissions are measured by operation (direct), operation (indirect), and operational total. An electric car is more carbon-friendly than a train (from a direct and indirect operational perspective).
- As far as lifetime emissions, the carbon emissions total for transport in grams per passenger kilometer is less for trains than plug-in cars.
- The same goes for carbon emissions for transport manufacture and disposal in grams per passenger-kilometer.
While indirect costs for high-speed trains are expensive, they’re super efficient for day-to-day operations at 0.03 g p/pkm. Now that you have a better sense of the differences in environmental impact, make sure when you do drive your EV, you’ve got the best coverage on the market.
If you want cheap car insurance quotes fast, go to
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- Gregory R.
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